


Sacrifices

by supergirlfan



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-10 23:10:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 80,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11701812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supergirlfan/pseuds/supergirlfan
Summary: "Suddenly, Cat was walloped from behind, and the air was knocked from her lungs.  As she crumpled into a heap, she heard a shot ring out, and then three more, and she felt a warm, solid presence surround her."Kara saves Cat again - this time as Kara Danvers.  Will her secret survive?(SEASON 1 ONLY...I'm behind.)





	1. Close Call

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all… long time no see! I’ve missed this place so much that I decided I’d come back and write some shorter stories. (No more 30+ chapter tomes, at least for now.) I also have a horrible secret to admit – I have not seen a single episode of the second season. I missed the first few, and didn’t want to go out of order, so I’m waiting for the DVDs to come out so I can watch the whole season. As a result, I have little to offer on the Sanvers ship.
> 
> Anyway, I’m returning to my favorite ship from season 1, Cat & Kara. This is set sometime after when Cat threatened to fire Kara for being Supergirl, but before the whole Adam thing and Red Kryptonite thing. Please forgive my outdated knowledge of the characters (season 1 only). Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Comments/responses/criticisms are more than welcome. Honestly, it’s comments that inspire me, and help me keep going when I feel like I’m talking to myself. :)
> 
> New note: Well, this whole "shorter story" thing isn't working out, but I'm hoping to finish this one eventually...

Cat donned her sunglasses and stepped out of her limo, walking briskly toward the gleaming Catco building. Bright sunshine reflected off the sleek glass-and-metal surface, casting a glow upon the skyscraper that reminded all who passed just how much authority that building’s namesake possessed. In response to the doorman’s “Good morning, Ms. Grant,” Cat simply voiced a noncommittal, “Hrmph,” and headed toward her personal elevator. It had yet to be seen whether this was, in fact, a good morning.

As the elevator dinged her arrival, Cat emerged to the sound of her efficient and irrepressibly cheerful assistant, Kara Danvers. “Good morning, Ms. Grant,” Kara said brightly, handing Cat her latte. “The layouts for this month’s magazine are on your desk, along with a list of potential advertisers whom I thought might be a fit for this issue. You have a nine o’clock appointment with Sara Davis from CBS, and then you’re meeting with Jamie from legal at ten.”

Cat entered her office, barely acknowledging Kara’s presence. Nonethless, her assistant continued, “Oh, and Burt Levine from accounting called, wanting to know if his quarterly summary had been processed. I put the summary on your desk, and flagged some questionable charges.”

Cat raised an eyebrow, and picked up the summary. She flipped through the pages, looking at Kara’s handwritten notes. “Ah, yes,” she drawled. “Fifty-eight thousand dollars for office furniture. No wonder he’s anxious.”

Kara shook her head, and pointed to another pile of papers on her desk. “I printed out an itemized list from the company credit card. It’s hard to believe that some of that qualifies as office furniture. It turns out that Burt moved to a new apartment after his wife kicked him out last month. Looks like he’s hoping you’ll foot the bill.”

Cat picked up the papers Kara was pointing to, and quickly grew incensed. “A king-sized bed? A wide-screen tv? A pool table??” She slammed the papers down on her desk and whipped off her sunglasses. “Kara, get him up here RIGHT NOW. And have security pack up his desk. Alert legal. He’s repaying every penny of that money. With interest.”

Kara nodded and looked up at the clock. “He’ll be here in three minutes, and Ben Chavis from legal will be here as well.”

Cat nodded curtly, scowling viciously at the papers on her desk. “That’ll be all, Kiera.”

Kara nodded and left the office, returning to her desk and immediately returning to work on her computer. Cat watched her leave, silently marveling at her assistant’s tireless production. The woman was truly remarkable.

Shaking her head, Cat thought back to the day she’d hired Kara. Something about the woman – a spark – had immediately caught her eye. The woman who claimed to be so ordinary had proven to be anything but, and the only reason Cat hadn’t promoted her yet was because she knew she’d never be able to find another assistant who could come close to what Kara had become. 

If only the girl was Supergirl, it would all make sense… the remarkable efficiency, the constant anticipation of her needs, the mysterious brief absences… but she wasn’t. Cat had seen the two women in the same room, at the same time. Talking to each other. And despite the many scientific advances she had witnessed in her lifetime, she was sure they hadn’t yet managed to clone people.

But would it really be necessary to clone anyone? She had seen supervillains who could change shape. Was it possible that there were other shape-shifters out there? Supergirl would likely know about them, if there were. Maybe one of them owed her a favor, and offered to help Kara get her job back.

Again, Cat shook her head. This line of thinking was ridiculous. Why would Kara have gone to those lengths to keep her job, with its mediocre pay, long hours, and incredible demands? With her degrees and experience, the girl could find a much better-paying job with more reasonable hours, giving more time for her superhero duties...

No. There was no reason not to believe what she had seen with her own eyes. Kara Danvers was not Supergirl. The girl was simply an exceptional assistant.

Cat’s thoughts were interrupted by the chime of the elevator, and as the doors swung open to reveal Burt’s arrival, she carefully schooled her features to reveal nothing. As he approached her office, looking slightly terrified, a predatory smile crept onto her face. This was going to be fun.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Just before 2 p.m., Cat Grant stepped out into the sunshine of National City, followed closely by her assistant. She had a meeting with the leadership team at CBS, discussing a possible partnership with her network. She headed toward her limousine, and heard Kara greet the driver by his first name, which she had never cared to learn. Suddenly, she was walloped from behind, and the air was knocked from her lungs. As she crumpled into a heap, she heard a shot ring out, and then three more, and she felt a warm, solid presence surround her.

Cat fought to take in air as that presence grabbed her and tossed her easily into the limousine, head first, slamming the door behind them and covering her in a tight bear hug. Cat felt herself being wedged into the seat, face first, by the body on top of her. She attempted to breathe from underneath this heap, and vaguely recognized Kara’s voice over the roaring in her ears. Kara shouted at the driver to get them out of there quickly, and then inquired worriedly. “Ms. Grant, are you all right? Were you hit?”

‘By a freight train,’ Cat thought weakly, but she shook her head as the limousine roared to life and sped around a corner. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion as she gasped for air and fought to slow her breathing, and she could feel the bear hug squeezing her tightly as the car sped further and further away from the scene.

“Take some deep breaths,” Kara’s voice said softly from above her, “and then tell me where it hurts.”

Cat shook her head wordlessly, mouthing ‘fine’ as she struggled to form words. After an few moments, she managed to choke out, “I’m ok. Wind knocked out of me.”

She could hear Kara’s sigh of relief, and the grip around her relaxed slightly. Kara pulled them both up to a sitting position and then let go of Cat. She ordered the driver to head toward Mercy Hospital. “She’s going to be in shock, and she has some cuts on her legs and arms. We need to get her looked at.” Kara grabbed her phone and quickly fired off a couple of texts. Next, she unearthed the car’s first aid kit and rummaged through for antibiotic ointment, gauze pads, and band aids. Before Cat could object, Kara was cleaning the cuts on her legs and arms from where Cat had hit the pavement, babbling apologetically as she worked.

Cat was struggling to process what had just happened. From the noises she’d heard, she assumed that someone was shooting at her. The weight that had slammed into her from behind must have been Kara, and then Kara picked her up and threw her into the car. Kara had shielded Cat’s body with her own. Realizing that, Cat looked up in alarm. “Kara, are you hurt? Did you get shot?”

Kara smiled nervously, and shook her head. She wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that Cat actually knew her real name. “I’m fine,” she said. “He must’ve missed us.”

Cat narrowed her eyes. Kara was a terrible liar, and something about that statement seemed untrue. She spun sharply and gazed at Kara’s body, looking for signs of blood. To her relief, she saw no obvious wounds, not even a scratch. “Why do I have cuts all over me, and you don’t have a scratch on you?”

Kara shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes. “You fell on the ground. I fell onto you,” she offered weakly.

Cat frowned. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, by the car screeching to a halt. She looked up, and was alarmed to discover that they’d reached the hospital. “What are we doing here?” she demanded.

Kara responded, “I want them to look at you. I want to make sure you’re okay.”

Cat began shaking her head rapidly, and refused. “No. No way. I’m not going in there.”

Kara was happy to see that her boss was becoming more aware of her surroundings, but she felt the woman needed medical attention. “Ms. Grant… we just need to check you for injuries. I want a doctor to look at you.”

“I’m fine,” Cat protested firmly, though her face was pale and her whole body was trembling slightly. She knew she wasn’t fine, but she would deal with it herself. Cat tried to pull herself together, taking a couple of deep breaths to settle herself. “Driver, take me back to Catco,” she decreed. She needed to deal with this breaking news herself.

Kara wanted to protest, but she knew better than to argue with this version of Cat Grant. She held up a finger at the driver’s questioning look, and called the police to make sure the area had been secured. When she felt confident that they would be safe, she nodded to the driver, and he headed back toward Catco.


	2. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so encouraging! It means a lot to know that people are reading, and I feel like your comments really help me to focus my writing and get new ideas. Here's a second chapter for now - there's more written, but I like to review and edit a few times before posting.
> 
> Hope you continue to like it. As always, comments/suggestions/criticisms are welcome. BTW, I'm supergirlfan101 on tumblr.

They hadn’t yet identified the gunman. Cat immediately thought of Carter, thanking the heavens that he was in France vacationing with his father. She sighed. It was one of the few times that she could appreciate that cheating bastard. Nonetheless, Cat called to let him know what had happened, making him promise to alert the authorities and keep Carter safe. Next, she questioned the detectives, as well as the doorman and other remaining bystanders. Apparently, not one person had spotted the gunman before Kara tackled Cat.

“It was the oddest thing,” the doorman mused, shaking his head. “Kara tackled you, and I didn’t have time to wonder what the hell she was doing, because right then I heard the gunshots. I don’t know how on earth she knew there was a gun. It was an awfully quick reaction.” He smiled. “Good thing, right?”

In her discussions with the police, Cat learned that there were a few unanswered questions. Detectives had located the bullets just a few feet from where Cat had been standing. “But there are no indentations anywhere from where the bullets landed. What did they hit?” Detective Robinson asked. “It doesn’t make sense. And another thing. Look at these bullets.” He held one up. “See the tip? It’s all smashed in, like the bullet hit something harder than itself. Now, that can happen with bullets, but only if you’ve got something like a titanium surface. You wearing titanium today?” He smiled, then looked at her. “Wait a minute. Is your car bulletproof?”

Cat shrugged noncommittally. She was beginning to feel weak and dizzy. What was happening? Just a few moments ago, she’d been fine. As the world began to spin around her, she realized she needed to sit down. And suddenly, like clockwork, her assistant was by her side, ushering her toward a chair in the lobby. She needed to make sense of all of this, but right now her brain didn’t seem to be functioning.

Kara spoke quietly. “Ms. Grant, we should get you home. You’ve had a long day, and you need some rest.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cat admonished her assistant. “I’m fine,” she insisted weakly, in a less-than-convincing voice.

Kara shook her head. “You’re not fine at all, Ms. Grant. The adrenaline is wearing off, and you’re in shock.”

“Nonsense,” Cat responded, forcing herself to stand up, and ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her. “I have work to do.”

Kara sighed, and carefully guided the woman toward her private elevator. She eyed Cat worriedly as the door closed between them, and hurried over to the public elevator. She would just have to keep an eye on her boss.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By six p.m., Cat was ready to fire her formerly likeable assistant. Kara had been checking on her constantly, doting on her like a mother hen, bringing her pills, food, water, and anything else she could possibly want, before she could even ask. It was thoroughly annoying, and she had begun taking it out on her assistant, snapping at Kara and criticizing everything from her wardrobe to her glasses. “Why don’t you get glasses that fit you, Kiera? You’re always pushing them up your nose. It looks ridiculous.”

Kara remained silent, handing Cat the Advil she’d been craving, along with a glass of water. “Let me know if you need anything else, Ms. Grant,” she said quietly, and left.

Cat fumed at the woman’s lack of response. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes and reflected upon the events of the day. She’d finished writing an article for tomorrow’s paper and consented to several live interviews, while still juggling her normal Catco responsibilities. She was thoroughly exhausted, and her mind was spinning. There were a few nagging questions that she’d been ignoring all day, preferring to remain focused on what she needed to do. How did Kara spot the gunman, when no one else did? Where did the bullets land? How had Kara emerged from the encounter without a single scratch?

She knew that Kara wasn’t Supergirl. She’d seen the two woman shake hands, for God’s sake. And yet… if she was, it would explain so much.

Cat sighed. Kara couldn’t be Supergirl; she just couldn’t. Cat refused to accept that the two women were one and the same. Could Kara - whom she’d belittled, criticized, and sent on ridiculously complicated errands simply to amuse herself - really be the superhero who’d rescued Cat several times already? Cat thought of the hours she’d wasted, sending Kara to fetch lattes and lettuce wraps, when the girl could’ve been out saving the world. How many lives could have been spared if she hadn’t been so selfish, demanding more of Kara’s time than anyone had a right to? That was why Cat threatened to fire her, and the reason she was so relieved to see the two women shaking hands. And if Kara had deceived her to keep her job, well, then, Cat had every right to be angry with the girl.

Cat took a deep breath. She wished that’s all it was. But if she was honest with herself – and Cat always was – she knew that her feelings ran far beyond that. Supergirl was far more important to her than she cared to admit. She had a huge crush on the beautiful superhero.

At first, Cat had simply been intrigued by Supergirl. Some of the young woman’s qualities reminded Cat of a younger version of herself, particularly the hero’s stubbornness, idealism, and sense of purpose. She took it upon herself to push Supergirl, writing a scathing article and challenging the woman to step out of her cousin’s shadow. She was delighted to see the hero growing more confident and mature with each battle that she fought, and pleased that the woman had blossomed into a hero every bit as impressive as Superman. However, in developing a relationship with Supergirl, she was forced to confront her growing feelings for the younger woman. Supergirl’s beauty was evident – her sparkling blue eyes, long blond hair, toned and muscular body, and long legs, which were unfortunately accentuated by her skirt – but what drew Cat to the woman was her incredible kindness and generosity, and the hope and optimism that she always seemed to exude. Supergirl may have lost her whole planet, but she would never give up hope for this one. Cat found the woman’s presence intoxicating.

She was not alone, of course. Everyone was a little bit in love with Supergirl. The woman was gorgeous, kind, and incredibly powerful. But if Supergirl and Kara were the same person, then she was crushing on her hot young assistant, and that was unacceptable. Cat would not put Kara in that position, not even in her mind. She would not become a walking cliché. And if they were the same person, then it was Kara’s fault for putting her in that position.

She heard a soft knock, and Kara’s tentative voice carried out to the balcony. “Ms. Grant… will you be needing anything else?”

Cat sighed. “No, Kiera. Go home.” She paused, and then felt obligated to add, “And thank you, for… what you did today.”

“You’re welcome, Ms. Grant,” Kara said sincerely, understanding how hard it had been for Cat to say those words. “Good night.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara was drifting slowly above the clouds. Flying gave her a chance to unwind, relax, and think about things. And right now, she had a lot to think about, beginning with this afternoon’s events.

She hadn’t spotted the gunman at all. She wasn’t looking for him, and had been wearing her lead-lined glasses, in any case. But she’d heard the click of the trigger, and reacted instantly. When she felt a few bullets smack against her back, she knew she’d made the right call. Before the shooter could try again, she grabbed Cat and threw her into the car.

Things would have been easier if she could’ve shown up in the cape, of course. Cat’s assistant, Kara Danvers, wasn’t supposed to have superpowers. Saving someone’s life as Kara was a dangerous idea. But she didn’t think she’d shown any super-human qualities, so hopefully nothing would give her away, unless someone happened to see the bullets hitting her back. And she really hadn’t had a choice. Even Alex, despite her concern that Kara could have exposed herself, acknowledged that she had done everything right. Alex knew that Kara couldn’t stand by and let her boss get shot, and she was proud that the hero had found a way to handle it. The DEO had been monitoring the reports all day, and Alex assured Kara that she’d heard nothing to raise any suspicions.

But then there was the matter of her boss, the one who just last week accused her of being Supergirl. Kara had been forced to lie to Cat, and to enlist Hank’s help to save her job. But what if it hadn’t really worked? What if Cat still suspected she was Supergirl? Today’s actions would only have confirmed her suspicions. She would just have to hope that Cat hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

Kara had been watching her boss all afternoon, looking for any signs that Cat suspected her. She did notice Cat staring at her a few times, seemingly lost in thought, which made her nervous. In addition, Cat had resorted to criticizing Kara, something she frequently did when she was angry about something. Kara was extremely concerned. Had her boss figured her out?

Kara sighed quietly, and noticed that she had inadvertently drifted toward Catco. The lettering on the top of the building seemed to serve as a honing beacon, pulling her toward the source of her inspiration, the great Cat Grant. She had always admired Cat, and had dreamt about working for the powerful and principled woman. This job – with its mediocre pay and ridiculous demands – was exactly what Kara wanted, a way to study her hero up close. And despite Cat’s mercurial moods and impossibly high standards, Kara liked and respected the woman tremendously. She had glimpsed Cat’s softer side, and could see how much her boss had sacrificed on behalf of women everywhere, as well as her utter devotion to Carter. The pressures and responsibilities that Cat dealt with every single day were immense, much like the burdens that Supergirl faced. But Kara had an escape valve from that pressure, in the person of Kara Danvers, ordinary assistant. Cat was not afforded that luxury. So it was no surprise that Cat hid behind her cold, ruthless persona - it was the only armor that she possessed.

In her time working for Catco, Kara’s admiration for the older woman had grown exponentially. But it was the interactions between Cat and Supergirl that had ignited other feelings, ones that she had tried hard to ignore. She couldn’t have a crush on her boss. She wouldn’t. Of course she found the woman fascinating, and of course Cat always looked like a runway model, glamorous and sexy. Sometimes, just the sight of Cat walking out of the elevator took her breath away. But it was seeing Cat’s softer side, the one that she so willingly revealed to Supergirl, that captured Kara’s heart.

Kara sighed. It would never happen. The woman was completely out of her league, not to mention her boss. She would just have to keep burying her feelings. She was an expert at that, after all.

As Kara flew closer, she was surprised and annoyed to see Cat Grant still in her office. What was the woman still doing here? She needed to rest. After what she’d experienced today, she needed a good night of sleep, at the very least.

Kara knew she should stay away, at least until she discovered where Cat stood on the Kara/Supergirl issue. As always, though, she found herself drawn to the older woman, like a moth to a flame. She settled lightly on the balcony, and waited.


	3. Mixed Signals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to post one chapter a day. We'll see how this goes. It's already getting longer than I had originally intended... what else is new? :)
> 
> Thank you all for the continued encouragement, and for reading! I really appreciate it.

Although Cat had been working at her desk when Supergirl landed on the balcony, she spotted the superhero immediately. Perhaps she had even been waiting for Supergirl, hoping that the young woman would visit tonight.

Cat sighed. She needed to get those feelings under control, and quickly. She forced herself to count to three before acknowledging the young woman. She could feel exhaustion creeping through her bones as she stood up and made her way, somewhat unsteadily, onto the balcony. “Supergirl,” she said wryly, “I could’ve used your help today.”

Supergirl nodded solemnly. “I wished I could’ve been there.” She looked at Cat, eyes full of concern. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Cat said briskly, then paused and offered, “My assistant helped. Apparently she has very quick reflexes, to go along with her excellent eyesight, good hearing, great immune system, and ‘super-speedy’ efficiency.” Cat smoothly continued, “To be honest, I think maybe my assistant is a superhero herself.” That comment was intended to provoke a reaction, and she noted Supergirl’s flinch with interest.

Supergirl recovered quickly. “Kara? She seems very… ordinary.” Then, realizing how that sounded, she rushed to add, “…but very nice! And probably a great assistant. She seemed like someone I could-“

Cat’s glare brought the babbling superhero to a halt. That was so very Kara, she mused, sighing. She also noted the use of the word ‘ordinary,’ which was exactly how Kara would describe herself. But it was late, and she was not ready to address the topic of Kara right now. Instead, she changed the subject, asking, “What do you do all day? Do you have a job?”

Supergirl hesitated, and then nodded. 

Cat wanted to ask what the woman did for work, but she knew that Supergirl would never answer a question that specific, particularly if she was who Cat thought she was. Instead, Cat inquired softly, “How do you stand it? Being at work all day while people all around the city are in trouble?”

The superhero shook her head sadly. “It’s hard to accept that people get hurt when I’m not available. I do what I can. Sometimes I have a few spare minutes, and can help. But Ms. Grant, that part of my life is important, just as much as the cape.” 

The young woman took a deep breath, and continued. “No one can be a hero all the time. Even superheroes need a chance to be human… to make mistakes, to spend time with friends, to fall in love, and yes, to work a typical job and live a normal life, out of the spotlight. A hero always has to be perfect, and no one can handle that kind of scrutiny all the time.” She looked at Cat earnestly, willing her to understand. “Ms. Grant, I need my job, just as I need my family and friends. They keep me balanced.”

Cat nodded quietly, processing this information. After a moment, Supergirl glanced at Cat. “How do you do it? You have to be perfect all the time, and you don’t get to hide behind a secret identity. How can you possibly handle it?”

Cat laughed. “Lots and lots of alcohol, Supergirl.” The hero frowned, so she added, “No one expects me to be perfect, at least not to the same degree. They’re not afraid of me losing control, because I don’t have the powers you do.”

Kara didn’t think it was quite that simple, particularly since she had witnessed firsthand just how afraid people were of the power wielded by Cat Grant. But she refrained from commenting, and simply nodded.

The two women stood in silence for a while, lost in thought. Cat’s musings centered around her assistant, whom she knew was standing right next to her in a suit and cape. The bullets and Kara’s reaction time had raised her suspicions, but it was Supergirl’s Kara-like mannerisms and impassioned plea for her job that confirmed Cat’s theory. Whatever had happened in her office last week, it had simply been a diversion. She tried to summon her earlier anger at the young woman, but found that she didn’t have the heart to blame Kara for what she’d done – in essence, fight to keep her job.

What should she do? Perhaps Kara was right, and she needed this job after all. It made sense – a superhero can’t be a real person. If Supergirl were to show anger, or act selfishly, or make mistakes, the public would immediately fear her. She needed an outlet for her own dreams and desires, and a place to be human. She deserved a chance at happiness.

Cat sighed. Why Kara would choose this particular job was a mystery to her, but the young woman genuinely seemed to like working at Catco. And of course, she was exceptional at her job, although having superpowers probably helped in that regard. Most of all, Cat just couldn’t imagine firing her, knowing it would break Kara’s heart. 

Instead, Cat would learn to accept that Supergirl was her assistant. Perhaps she could relax her demands slightly, leaving Kara chances to escape when necessary. And – most importantly – she would need to keep her feelings in check. She would not have a crush on her assistant. That was unacceptable.

Eventually Kara broke the silence, her quiet voice startling the media mogul. “Ms. Grant… you really should get some sleep.”

Cat nodded and sighed. “I suppose.”

Kara hesitated. “Ms. Grant, after what happened today… would it be all right for me to take you home? I know you have security looking out for you, but I’d just feel better knowing you were safe.”

Cat sighed. This was a very, very bad idea. She was fighting her feelings already. How would she handle having the hero’s arms around her? Still… Kara had a point. Safety was a concern right now, and nothing would make her feel safer than being in Supergirl’s arms. Reluctantly, she nodded. “Let me just get my purse.”

Kara waited as the woman gathered up her belongings. She was relieved that Cat had accepted her offer, but nervous that the older woman would somehow sense her feelings. Would Cat notice if her heart started racing? What if Cat saw the longing in her eyes? This was a bad idea, but it was worth it to see the woman home safe.

“All right, Supergirl,” Cat said, more confidently than she felt. “How do we do this?”

Kara quickly scooped Cat up, bridal style, ignoring the acceleration of her heartbeat. She secured her arms around the woman, while Cat wrapped her arms around the hero’s neck. Rao help me, Kara thought, as she tried to function normally. “Do you feel secure, Ms. Grant? I promise I would never drop you.”

Cat nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Feeling the hero’s strong arms around her was incredibly comforting… and yet, her heart was racing. She knew that she would be safe with the superhero, but being so close to Kara was torturous.

“Ok, then,” Kara said weakly, struggling to breathe normally at the feel of Cat in her arms. “Off we go.” She lifted them off the ground, and quickly accelerated toward Cat’s apartment. Once there, she paused to scan the area before setting Cat down on the balcony. “It’s safe,” Kara affirmed, “but please be careful. I don’t want to see anything happen to you.” She stopped herself there, afraid she would reveal more than she wanted to. She wanted to ask if she could stay the night, just to keep an eye on things, but didn’t think the older woman would be comfortable with that.

Cat nodded. No longer in the hero’s arms, she felt a strange emptiness. She wished the woman could stay, but there were so many reasons that it was a terrible idea. She sighed, and said softly, “Thank you, Supergirl.”

“Good night, Ms. Grant,” responded the hero, and took off into the sky.

As Cat entered her apartment, the hero settled onto a nearby rooftop. She may not be staying in Cat’s apartment, but she was not going anywhere. Nothing could stop her from watching over Cat while she slept, even if that required staying up all night. The idea that she’d nearly lost Cat… it was simply unthinkable. Cat had asked Kara to accompany her to the meeting, to take notes. If she hadn’t… Kara shivered. Would she have heard the click of the gun? Would she have reacted quickly enough? Probably not, she admitted to herself, and the thought terrified her. She couldn’t lose Cat. She would not accept that possibility. And while the the likelihood was slim that the gunman could reach Cat in her penthouse apartment, Kara was not taking any chances.

She may not even know my name, Kara thought ruefully, but I’m completely, totally in love with her. The superhero sighed in frustration. She would just have to get over her feelings, and focus on keeping the woman safe. That was the only thing that mattered right now.


	4. Sleepless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends -  
> Here's the daily update. Hope it's okay... I'm posting it during my layover between flights, so probably not as proofread as I'd like, but oh well.
> 
> This story is definitely taking some different turns than I expected. Not sure if that's good or not, though. :)
> 
> Thank you, as always, for the comments and suggestions. I really do appreciate every one.

In the morning, Cat heard a light tapping noise as she was getting ready for work. Her first reaction was to duck, flattening herself on the ground in case there was an intruder with a gun. After a moment, however, she realized that someone was simply knocking on her balcony window. She peeked out from behind the bed, and was mortified to see a superhero standing there.

The moment she opened the balcony door, the torrent of apologies began. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Grant. I didn’t mean to scare you! I should’ve come to the front door. Of course you’d be jumpy, after–“

Cat silenced her with a wave. “I just overreacted, Supergirl. I’m fine,” she said breezily, almost convincing herself. “How can I help you this morning?”

“Well,” the superhero began awkwardly, “I thought maybe I should bring you to work myself. I don’t want to take any chances with this gunman on the loose.”

Cat sighed. “Supergirl, you can’t become my private transportation service. The police have stationed men outside the door, watching for any suspicious activity. I’m sure it’ll be safe.”

Kara thought that she would happily become Cat’s personal transporter, if it would keep the woman safe. Plus, there was the side benefit of getting to have Cat in her arms. But she would have to appeal to the woman’s logical side. “Cat, someone tried to shoot at you yesterday, and we still don’t know who it was. I’m not letting you out of my sight. If you drive to work, I’m going to be flying alongside, making sure you’re safe. Why not save your driver the trouble? We’ll get there faster, and it’ll make both of us feel safer.”

Cat paused, and then nodded reluctantly. “Give me ten minutes to finish getting ready,” she responded wearily.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After dropping Cat at the front door, Kara quickly flew upwards, changed her clothes, and waited for Cat’s elevator. She paced the bullpen nervously, clutching the latte she had picked up earlier. Her interactions with Cat, both last night and this morning, had been nice. But she suspected that Cat’s superhero comment had been offered purposefully, and she didn’t know what to make of that.

Did Cat know? Her pointed comment last night seemed to indicate that she suspected, at least… but then she hadn’t pressed the issue, which seemed very out of character. She’d even accepted an offer of assistance, something she didn’t do often. Kara wasn’t sure what to think.

When Cat stepped out of her private elevator, Kara’s hand trembled slightly as she held out her boss’s latte. She began nervously reciting the woman’s schedule for the day, and when she had finished, she asked the media mogul if there was anything else she could do. Cat simply said, “That’ll be all for now, Kiera.” Kara nodded, and escaped to her desk, where she sagged into her chair in relief. It seemed like nothing had changed. At the very least, she still had her job, and the early signs were promising.

From her desk, Cat observed Kara’s behavior with interest. Kara had seemed nervous – terrified, even. Perhaps after Cat’s superhero comment last night, Kara wondered if Cat would confront her this morning, or maybe just fire her. And last week, Cat would have done exactly that. Last week, Cat’s main goal was to prove that she was right, and that no one could outsmart the media mogul. Of course, she had justified that by reasoning that the city was better off if Kara spent her days helping people, but the most important thing was to be proven correct.

The circumstances had changed, however, and somehow the truth just didn’t seem important anymore. After listening to Kara’s speech last night, Cat understood that the young woman needed a personal life, and that she enjoyed this job. Then there was the fact that Kara saved her life yesterday. Cat simply didn’t have the heart to punish her young assistant for being a superhero. No, she would have to pretend that nothing had changed. She would give Kara a chance to keep her secret, however poorly hidden it was. 

Cat sighed. She would also have to do a better job keeping her distance, personally speaking. After experiencing the hero’s arms around her last night and this morning, Cat’s feelings toward the young woman were stronger than ever. And as these feelings continued to grow, they were becoming more and more difficult to hide from the superhero. 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

The morning was spent chasing down leads on the gunman – or rather, attempting to find any leads whatsoever. No one seemed to have seen the gunman, not even Kara, who said that she simply spotted the gun, and didn’t get a look at his face. Cat found that slightly odd. Didn’t Kara have super-vision? Why wouldn’t she have seen him clearly? She studied Kara, trying to figure out what she was missing… and her eyes locked on Kara’s glasses. Supergirl never wore glasses, so why did Kara? The glasses had been around before Supergirl’s emergence, so clearly there was a reason for them, other than a disguise. But what could it be?

Cat set that thought aside, to ponder later. Right now, she had work to do. They needed to find the gunman, and they were getting nowhere. When a detective had asked if there was anyone who would hold a grudge, Cat had simply laughed. Where would she even start? But they had requested that she list anyone she could think of, starting with the most recent. She sighed, and picked up her pen. This could take a while.

Just then, Kara knocked on her office door, holding some papers. “Ms. Grant, here’s a list of anyone who might hold a grudge against you, going back to the day you hired me. I can check the records before that, but it’s harder to know how people felt. This should at least give the police a place to start.”

Of course she did that for me, Cat mused. She’s amazing. When did she have time to… Oh, right. Super-speed must be quite useful. She sighed, and nodded at the girl. “Send a copy to the detective who was interviewing me this morning, whatever his name was.”

“Detective Tilson,” offered Kara, nodding. “Right away, Ms. Grant.” She turned to head back to her desk.

“And Kiera?”

Kara paused mid-turn. “Yes, Ms. Grant?”

Cat wanted to let the young woman know how much she appreciated Kara’s efforts. She wanted to find some way to repay Kara for yesterday’s events. Most of all, she wanted to say something that would keep the woman there, talking to Cat, and offering that smile that lit up the whole room. She shook her head for being so completely lovesick, and snapped instead, “Get me a lettuce wrap.”

“Of course,” answered Kara briskly, and she headed for the elevator.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By mid-afternoon, Cat was thoroughly frustrated by the detectives’ lack of progress. She was also noticing that her usually-energetic assistant was dragging. When she saw Kara rub her eyes and yawn, Cat couldn’t take it anymore. “Kiera!” she snapped.

Kara rose quickly, stumbling slightly as she got out of her chair. Approaching the doorway, she responded, “Yes, Ms. Grant?”

Cat removed her glasses and leveled her gaze at the superhero. “Did you sleep last night?”

Whatever Kara had been expecting to hear, that was not it. She blinked in surprise, and then guilt flashed across her features, although Cat couldn’t imagine why. “Um… I couldn’t sleep,” Kara offered weakly. That was true – she couldn’t allow herself to sleep, because she was afraid of what might happen to Cat if she did.

Cat studied her carefully, trying to identify what had caused the flash of guilt. “Well, make sure you get some rest tonight. I don’t like watching you yawn all day.”

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Grant. It won’t happen again,” Kara rushed to assure the woman.

Cat rolled her eyes. “Kiera, go away,” she said, with a flick of the wrist.

“Yes, Ms. Grant,” Kara offered helplessly, and left.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By late afternoon, Kara could barely keep her eyes open. Cat finally ran out of patience, and ordered her assistant to go home and get some rest. When she spotted Supergirl on TV just a few minutes later, she sighed. Kara didn’t know how to take care of herself. If someone was in trouble, she’d be there to help, no matter what. She paused briefly to watch Kara lift a school bus out of a ravine, and then shook her head and got back to work.

A short while later, she heard the telltale rustle of a cape on her balcony. “Two visits in one day, Supergirl,” she murmured, putting down her pen and looking at the superhero. “Is there not enough crime in National City to keep you busy?” She stood up and walked out to the balcony, eyes on Kara.

The younger woman, of course, instantly apologized. “I’m sorry, Ms. Grant. Am I bothering you?”

Cat shook her head. “Of course not, Supergirl. I enjoy your company.” With her eyes still locked on Kara, Cat scanned the hero’s features. She was not the least bit surprised to see fatigue clouding the woman’s eyes, and was tempted to ask (again) whether the woman had slept last night. But there was no reason to play games with Kara, and she found she didn’t want to. “Are you here to check up on me?”

Kara nodded. “I like to know that you’re safe. I can take you home, if you’re ready.”

Cat felt a flutter in her chest, and quickly tamped it down. Against her better judgment, she nodded. “I’ll need a few more minutes to finish up. You can – “

Just then, there was a siren in the distance, and the superhero’s head spun around. Cat sighed, and said, “Go be a hero, while I finish my work.”

Supergirl nodded briskly, and said, “I’ll be right back.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the time it took Supergirl to chase down some bank robbers, Cat was able to wrap things up for the night. When the hero returned to her balcony, Cat stood up and grabbed her purse. She tried to appear nonchalant, but the thought of having Kara’s arms around her again was intoxicating. She no longer had the will to resist these offers.

When the hero picked her up, Cat put her arms around the woman’s neck, and noticed that Kara’s breath caught for just a moment. She tried not to think about what that meant, just as she tried not to notice how good it felt to be locked in Kara’s arms. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart and steady her breathing as they flew over the rooftops of National City.

“Ms. Grant? Are you all right?” 

Kara’s voice cut through her thoughts, and she opened her eyes to see the hero’s face just inches away, eyes filled with concern. Cat thought her heart might jump right out of her chest. “I’m fine,” Cat managed weakly.

The superhero looked at her dubiously. “You’re not fine, Ms. Grant. You’re having trouble breathing, and your heart is racing. Am I flying too fast? Or too high? I can–“

“I’m fine,” Cat repeated, more firmly this time. What was wrong with her? She needed to control herself. She was being ridiculous. Through sheer force of will, she managed to calm herself down, and by the time the hero landed on Cat’s balcony, she was confident she could at least stand up on her own.

Feet solidly planted on the ground, Cat waited for the hero to release her. Instead, Kara held on for an extra few moments, searching her face with a worried gaze. After a pause, Kara asked, “Do you need anything? Do you want me to stay for a while?”

Cat shook her head emphatically, knowing that inviting the young woman into her home was a terrible idea, and stepped away from the superhero. She refused to allow Kara to take pity on her. “I’m sure you have better things to do than to keep me company, Supergirl,” she responded, with a wry smile. “But thank you for the offer.”

Kara stood there for a moment, still hesitant to leave. She wanted to tell Cat that she couldn’t think of anything she’d like more than spending time with Cat, but she didn’t dare. Instead, she simply gazed at the older woman, looking for assurance that Cat would be all right on her own.

Eventually, Cat couldn’t help herself. She stepped forward and touched Kara’s cheek. “Supergirl,” she said softly, “Thank you for looking out for me.”

As Cat started to withdraw her hand, Kara covered it with her own, gently holding Cat’s hand in place on her cheek. Gazing at Cat with a look of tenderness, she responded quietly, “You’re very important to me.” After a moment, she laced their fingers together and squeezed Cat’s hand before releasing it. Smiling warmly, she said, “Good night, Ms. Grant,” and then she was gone.


	5. A Long Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm away for a few days, so I'm going to try to keep up with one chapter a day, but I may miss a day or two. We'll see. Thank you to all of you who've taken the time to read and/or comment. Your reactions and suggestions make such a difference when I'm sitting down to write - even if they're just words of encouragement. Thank you!!!!

“Kara, slow down and start from the beginning. What were you doing on Cat Grant’s balcony?”

Kara sighed, and gripped the phone tightly. “Alex, I’ve been taking her back and forth from work since the shooting. I didn’t want to take any chances, with a gunman on the loose.”

Oh boy, Alex thought, but she kept that thought to herself.

Kara continued, “While I flew her home, Cat’s heart was racing, and she was struggling to breathe. I didn’t know if it was because I was flying too fast, or just because she’s scared of being outside after the shooting, or what. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said she was fine. But she wasn’t.” Kara frowned.

Alex coughed to smother a laugh. She would bet her life that Cat Grant wasn’t scared at all.

Oblivious to Alex’s amusement, Kara continued, “I offered to stay, and keep her company for a while. She said no, but… then she thanked me for helping, and… she put her hand on my cheek.” Reflexively, Kara raised a hand to her own cheek, and sighed. “And then I put my hand on top of hers, and told her that she was very important to me.”

This time, Alex did laugh. “Aww, Kara, that’s adorable.”

“Alex!” Kara protested. “I shouldn’t have done that. She’s my boss! And she doesn’t know who I am… although actually, I think maybe she figured it out, but then it’s even more confusing…”

Alex interrupted, “Whoa, hold on. What do you mean by that?”

Kara described the conversation they’d had last night, and the superhero comment that Cat had made about her assistant. “But Alex, it doesn’t make sense. Nothing has changed at work. Wouldn’t she have fired me by now, if she knew? Did she change her mind?”

Alex paused, trying to digest all of this information. “Kara, you saved her life yesterday. Maybe that made her rethink her priorities, or maybe she’s just grateful. There are all kinds of possibilities. The one thing that’s clear is that she really likes you.”

Kara shook her head. “No, Alex. She doesn’t even know my real name. Maybe she likes Supergirl, but she just tolerates her assistant.”

“Hmm,” responded Alex, choosing to let Kara figure things out for herself. “Well, get some sleep tonight, Kara. You looked tired today.”

“I’ll try, Alex,” Kara said, “Good night.”

She hung up and set rhe phone down next to her on the roof, feeling slightly guilty for lying to Alex about sleeping. She was going to do everything she could to stay awake tonight. If she left, and something happened, she would never forgive herself. So she settled down onto the roof, and prepared for a long night.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, Kara jolted awake to the sound of a dog barking, and nearly fell off the roof before she realized where she was. Looking at her phone, she saw to her dismay that it was 4:17 a.m. She’d been asleep for over twenty minutes. Frantically, she located Cat in her bedroom, sleeping, and breathed a sigh of relief.

She was getting pretty tired, though. Kryptonians didn’t require as much sleep as humans, but they typically needed at least a couple of hours each night, and by now Kara had become more accustomed to a human sleep cycle. If she didn’t get some rest, she had no hope of holding up to Cat Grant’s scrutiny the next morning.

Rationally, Kara knew that the gunman was highly unlikely to target Cat Grant in her bedroom, or to try to break into her apartment. However, she couldn’t take any chances with Cat. If something happened, Kara would never forgive herself. Going back to her apartment was out of the question. With a sigh, she settled on a compromise. She would sleep here, on Cat’s balcony, and stay out of sight. That way, if something happened, she would be far more likely to hear the commotion and react to it.

With that settled, Kara landed on the balcony, curled up in a corner, and fell asleep instantly.

It was a perfectly reasonable plan – sleeping lightly on the balcony – and perhaps one that Kara should have utilized the first night. By now, however, she was exhausted, and sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat woke up at 5:04 a.m., six minutes before her alarm was set to go off. Sighing deeply, she sat up and stretched, and walked toward her balcony doors to glimpse today’s weather. She stood there for a moment, lost in thought, as she stared out at the city landscape. As she was about to turn away, she spotted something red out of the corner of her eye. Fighting back the fear that had gripped her yesterday morning, she forced herself to look more closely, and saw a pile of red fabric, and the corner of a boot. Could it be…?

Cat rushed outside, worried now, and the sight that greeted her did nothing to quell her fears. There was Supergirl, loosely covered by her cape, passed out on the concrete floor of her balcony. She ran over to check on the hero, and was grabbing her wrist to feel for a pulse when suddenly Supergirl stirred and opened her eyes. “Ms. Grant?” said the hero, “What are you… Where am I?“ As awareness dawned, she sat up suddenly with a panicked expression. She scrambled to stand up, but stopped when Cat placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

“Supergirl, are you all right?” Cat asked, with a worried gaze.

“I’m fine,” the hero muttered, embarrassed. “I just need to… I, um, must’ve fallen asleep… I’m so sorry, Ms. Grant, I didn’t mean to –”

“Hold on,” Cat said, cutting off the apology. “How did you happen to fall asleep on my balcony?”

“I was… um… Well, I was flying this way… and got tired?” Kara stumbled through a very unconvincing lie. The performance was so pathetic that Cat simply glared at her. No words were needed.

In a voice that was little more than a whisper, Supergirl admitted, “I didn’t want to leave. I was worried… I wanted you to be safe. I tried to stay awake, but I just couldn’t anymore.”

Cat wanted to be angry with the superhero. She tried her hardest to summon righteous indignation at the woman’s invasion of privacy. But the only reaction she could muster after that reluctant confession was affection for Kara. She sighed, trying to force the feelings away. “You were here last night too, weren’t you?”

Kara shook her head, and pointed across the street. “I was over there, on the rooftop. Tonight, too. But I just got so tired. I was falling asleep. I thought I maybe if I moved closer, I could rest, and still be able to hear if something was wrong. I thought I’d wake up when I heard you moving.” She looked up miserably. “I guess I didn’t.”

“No,” Cat said pointedly, “you didn’t. You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought you were hurt.”

Kara dropped her gaze, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Ms. Grant. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Cat shook her head. “I’m just glad you’re all right. Come inside, and take a nap in the guest room, at least. I can’t believe you spent all night out here.”

Kara shook her head. “Oh no, Ms. Grant, I need to get ready for work. Thank you for the offer, though.”

Cat tried to stop herself, but she just couldn’t resist saying, “I’m sure, whoever your boss is, that they’d understand if you came in a little late.”

In response, Kara laughed in surprise. “Clearly, you haven’t met my boss.”

Cat sighed, not sure what to do about this conversation. Should she end the charade, for Kara’s sake, and force Kara to go home and get some sleep? Of course, even if she ordered the girl to sleep, Kara would most likely perch on a nearby rooftop or balcony anyway. Better to have Kara in her sights, where she could keep an eye on the young woman, before Kara hurt herself trying to do too much. Eventually, Cat said, “All right, Supergirl. Please take care of yourself.”

Kara nodded slightly. “I’ll be back in a little while to pick you up, Ms. Grant.”

“Supergirl,” Cat began, “you really don’t need to do that. I know you’re busy.”

“I want to, Ms. Grant,” the superhero said softly. She stood up, stretching her muscles, and Cat tried hard not to stare at the flexing superhero, whose suit accentuated every muscle and curve. Smiling at Cat, Kara added, “I’ll be back in half an hour.”

Cat shook her head as the hero vanished into the distance. She felt like her world was spinning out of control, and she wasn’t sure she wanted it to stop. And her feelings… well, her feelings were threatening to overpower her rational side. Her assistant was Supergirl, and had just spent the last two nights sitting outside of Cat’s apartment, fighting to stay awake just to ensure that Cat was safe. Sighing, Cat recalled some of the looks that the hero had given her, filled with tenderness, and the way Kara had held Cat’s hand to her cheek. Cat had spent a lifetime reading people, and Kara wasn’t exactly a challenge.

Nothing would ever happen, of course. She was the boss, and she really needed to try and remember that. She needed to find a way to keep herself from thinking about Kara, and from imagining things that could never be.

But God, the things she could imagine…


	6. Beyond Her Limits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,  
> Hope you're all doing well. This story is a little slow to write, but I'm really enjoying the characters. I hope it's as entertaining to read as it is to write. :) The plot picks up a little in this chapter.
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your encouragement and friendship. :)
> 
> P.S. I'm pretending that Cat's office walls are soundproof, for this conversation...

Everything seemed to be going wrong this morning. First, detectives informed Cat that they were getting nowhere in their investigation, and suggested that she just hire a security firm to guard her until they caught a break. Cat responded with a ten-minute tirade about the amount of money she paid in taxes last year for this clown-shoes operation, and suggested that the detectives find something soon if they expected to keep working in National City. Kara attempted to calm her boss down – “Ms. Grant, they’re doing the best they can, and we haven’t found anything either” – but trailed off at the glare that she received, and quickly ducked out of the office.

An hour later, the printers jammed in the middle of producing Catco’s monthly magazine, and by the time workers could repair the problem, they had fallen two hours behind schedule. “That damn magazine had better be done by Friday. Kiera, tell them I don’t care how much overtime it takes; the fall issue WILL be out on time.”

Kara nodded, using her tablet to quickly send some texts. “Can I get you some lunch, Ms. Grant?”

Cat nodded, firing off her usual order, and sent Kara away. She was relieved to see that Kara was managing to function normally, but the girl was obviously exhausted. Her relief quickly faded, however, when a breaking news bulletin about Supergirl appeared. There she was, pulling people out of a burning warehouse. “Damn it, Kara,” Cat muttered, but she knew she had only herself to blame, for sending Kara out of the building to pick up lunch. Kara simply couldn’t say no.

Cat heard a crash on the television, and saw that part of the roof had collapsed on Kara. Commentators explained that Supergirl had been flying back into the fire to look for anyone who was trapped inside, when a corner of the warehouse had collapsed on top of her. Cat stepped closer to the television, staring intently, as if hoping that would allow her to see where Supergirl was buried. A moment later, Supergirl emerged from the rubble, looking battered but determined. Cat expelled a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Her hands remained clenched into fists, however, as Supergirl made several more trips into the blaze, searching for missing people. This building was a ticking time bomb. It was going to collapse any minute. Could Kara withstand it, with her body so worn down?

As Kara entered the warehouse again, there was a loud crack, and the remainder of the roof fell in. Cat gasped audibly.

James Olsen, standing nearby, murmured, “Ms. Grant, she’ll be okay. Supergirl has handled worse than that.”

Cat just shook her head and walked back to the privacy of her office. James looked at her quizzically, but didn’t follow.

Cameras were focused on the rubble, waiting for Supergirl to reappear. But there was no movement, and no sign of the hero. Firemen ran in to help extinguish the blaze, working their way toward Kara’s last known location. Several black vans pulled up, and a number of people piled out, all dressed in black fire-retardant suits. They swarmed the scene, until finally one of them signaled and they converged upon that area. Workers picked frantically through the rubble until they pulled a limp and unconscious Supergirl out of the wreckage and hauled her into a van. With a screeching of tires, the van sped away.

Cat simply stood there, hands gripping her desk tightly. She stared at the screen, willing it to tell her that Supergirl was okay. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been standing there when James knocked on the door, startling her out of her daze.

“Ms. Grant?” he inquired. “Do you need anything?” James wanted to ask if the woman was all right, but he knew that was a question that Cat would never answer.

Cat forced herself to stay calm and focused. “James,” she snapped, “use your contacts. I want information on Supergirl. Where is she, and what happened? You have twenty minutes.”

James would have been annoyed by the demand, but he could see the fear lurking in Cat’s eyes, and knew that this request had little to do with breaking a story. He simply nodded and left, wondering when Cat had grown so attached to the superhero.

He dialed Alex’s number, not really expecting her to answer, and was surprised when she picked up the phone. “Alex, how is she?” James asked.

“James, she’s okay. I think she was just a little worn out, because she got knocked out cold when the roof caved in. She’s got a monster headache and some noticeable bruises, but she’ll be fine. Her system just needs some time to recover.”

James heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s good, Alex. Thanks for the update.” He paused. “Alex, it was weird… Cat Grant was absolutely terrified. I’ve never seen her like that before.”

Alex snorted. “I bet she was,” she responded. “Talk to you later, James.”

“Alex, what aren’t you–” James began, and then realized he was speaking to a dial tone. He shook his head, and walked back to Cat’s office. Cat was on the phone, but when he approached the doorway, she hung up without even saying goodbye. “Well?” she snapped..

“She’s okay, Ms. Grant,” James answered, seeing Cat’s entire body sag in relief. “She got knocked out during the second cave-in, but she’s going to be fine.”

Cat stood up and paced. “I don’t understand. How did she get knocked out?”

James shrugged. “They’re guessing she was just worn down. Her healing is a little slower than usual.”

Cat frowned, but remained silent for a a moment. She knew exactly why the hero was worn down, but there was nothing she could do about it. She needed to talk to that idiot superhero, and soon. “James,” she said, “tell Supergirl that I need to reach her before the end of the day today.”

James stared at her. “Ms. Grant, I don’t think she’s feeling up to–“

Cat cut him off. “A phone call will suffice. Before the end of the day,” she said firmly.

James sighed. “I’ll give her the message,” he said, “but I think she’s probably busy.” What was going on here? He texted Alex with Cat’s request. The only response he got was a “lol.” He shook his head, deciding that whatever was going on here, it didn’t involve him.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Alex, I have to go NOW,” Kara insisted. “Cat sent me out for her lettuce wrap – “ she glanced at her phone – “two hours ago. If I don’t get back there soon, I’ll be fired. I may already be fired.” She sighed. “Alex, I have to.”

Alex sincerely doubted that Kara would be fired, but she kept that opinion to herself. “Kara, are you going to go walking in there with bruises all over your face?”

“We can cover them up with makeup, Alex. I need to get back there, like now.” She stared at her sister, eyes pleading. “Alex, I just need to show up there. I’ll even try to go home early. Otherwise, it’ll confirm I’m Supergirl, and Cat already made it clear that she would fire me if I was.”

Alex sighed. She knew that Kara should stay here, and that her sister desperately needed some rest. But she didn’t want to cost Kara her job, if Cat was still considering firing her. Plus… she had a sneaking suspicion that if Kara showed up at work, Cat would take care of the situation for her, more effectively than Alex could. “All right, Kara,” she said reluctantly. “A couple of hours, though. That’s it.”

“Thanks Alex,” Kara said, hugging her sister gratefully. She looked so relieved that Alex almost felt guilty sending her in to face Cat right now. Almost.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Kara walked into the bullpen, Winn rushed over to see how she was doing. “Kara! Are you okay?” He moved to touch her forehead, which looked a little bruised.

Kara ducked. “Still kind of sore, Winn. Don’t touch that. It hurts.”

“Oh, sorry. God Kara, you had us worried. Especially Ms. Grant. You should’ve seen–“

“KIERA!” Cat’s voice boomed through the bullpen. 

Kara cringed, and not just because of her headache. With a worried gaze, Kara said, “She’s going to kill me. I left to get her lunch two hours ago.” She sighed, said “Wish me luck, Winn,” and headed for Cat’s office.

When Kara arrived in the doorway, Cat said in a low, dangerous voice, “Shut the door.”

Kara winced. This couldn’t be good.

Once the door was shut, Cat slammed her glasses down on the desk. In a tone that made Kara want to run and hide, she asked, “What the hell were you thinking?”

“Um,” Kara stuttered. “I… um… I’m sorry? I was getting your lunch–“

“Stop,” Cat said in a commanding voice. “Just stop.” She paced around the room, trying to control her anger. In a quiet voice, she continued, ”Don’t you dare lie to me anymore. I’m so sick of these games. I’m not stupid, Kara. I saw what happened today, and I saw what you looked like when they took you away. There is absolutely no way that you should be here right now. I mean, just look at you, with those bruises on your face... You’re in no condition to work, Kara. I can’t believe you came here, just to keep up your little charade.”

Kara’s head was spinning. She felt her legs beginning to give way, and sank down onto the couch. Weakly, she said, “Ms. Grant, it’s not like that. I never once thought you were stupid, and I hated lying to you. I just didn’t want to lose y… this job. You said if I was Supergirl, you were going to fire me. What else could I do? I had to pretend I wasn’t Supergirl, even though I was pretty sure you knew anyway.”

Cat cursed herself for the way she had treated the superhero. Kara was worried about losing her job, and thought that she could only keep it by denying her true identity. That was Cat’s fault. And Cat had exacerbated the problem over the last few days by dropping hints that she knew, without giving Kara any reassurances about keeping her job.

Cat fought to hold onto her anger, which was far easier to handle than the multitude of emotions she felt about Kara, including her own guilt for threatening to fire the young woman. She paced the office for a moment, summoning her last shreds of frustration. Really, these injuries were Kara’s fault, for being so stubborn. “You stayed up for two nights straight, except for a couple of hours sleeping on concrete, and it doesn’t occur to you that you might not be safe flying into a burning building that’s collapsing on top of you?”

“I just… People were getting hurt. They needed help, Ms. Grant. What else could I have done?”

Cat said angrily, “How about taking care of yourself for a change? Or does everyone else have to do that for you?”

Kara looked at her as if she wanted to respond, but then lowered her eyes to stare miserably at the floor.

“Fine,” Cat snapped. “If you can’t manage to take care of yourself, then I will. Get out of my office. Go home. Don’t come back until you’re ready to actually do your job.” Cat glared at her and continued, “And don’t you dare sleep on a rooftop again. If I find out that you were anywhere near my apartment, you’re fired.”

Kara stood there for a moment, unable to form words. Then she simply nodded silently and left.


	7. Pushing the Limits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys - Sorry I didn't post yesterday. We were in the car all day, and I didn't get a chance to do any work on my computer. Here's the next chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to the once-a-day posts, but it's possible I will need to skip another day tomorrow.
> 
> I hope everyone is well, and I want to sincerely thank you all for making this place such a home for me. Love hearing your reactions, both good and bad!

Kara was lying in her bed, pretending to sleep. When Cat sent her home an hour ago, she had put on pajamas and crawled into bed, but since that time she’d been unable to quiet the thoughts racing through her brain. She sighed, hearing Cat’s words echoing in her mind: “I can’t believe you came here, just to keep up your little charade.” Kara knew that she hadn’t fooled the older woman, but she hadn’t realized that Cat thought she was simply playing games. She thinks I don’t trust her, Kara thought. But how could I say anything? She was going to fire me. Or was she?

Sighing in frustration, Kara opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Cat made it clear that she knew who Kara was, and hadn’t fired her yet. Maybe she didn’t intend to. Kara simply didn’t know what Cat wanted from her.

And then there were those other moments, like when Cat put her hand on Kara’s cheek. Kara didn’t know what to think about that at all. This was all just so confusing.

Kara flicked on the television. Maybe she could distract herself for a while. As she flipped aimlessly through the channels, she heard a commotion in the distance, and sighed. She knew she was in no shape to help anyone right now, but it was so hard to ignore her instincts. 

Forget television. She would never be able to focus on anything with the noises she was hearing. Kara turned it off and stuffed a pillow over her head, trying to block everything out. Despite her efforts, Kara could hear the shouts of people in trouble, and the screams of small children.

She sat up suddenly. Screams of small children? Oh no.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat slammed down her drink, spilling it all over the desk. Oblivious to the mess she had just made, Cat stared at the television. After a moment, she abruptly left her office and walked to the other end of the bullpen, where the storage area containing personnel files was located. She unlocked the door, identified the right file cabinet, and thumbed quickly through the folders. Finally spotting the file she needed, she rifled through the papers in that folder until she located the emergency information card. Kara could’ve done this much faster, she thought, and rolled her eyes. She probably had all of this information printed out and ready to use. Unfortunately, Kara’s help was not an option right now.

Cat read the name and relationship of the first emergency contact, grabbed her phone, and dialed.

When her call immediately went to voice mail, she sighed, and hung up. Instead of leaving a message, she texted, “This is Cat Grant. Call me ASAP.” That would have to do for now.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ms. McNally’s third-grade class had been on a nature walk, crossing a wooden bridge that spanned a canyon, when one of the ropes holding the bridge together had suddenly snapped. The children stared, frozen in fear, as the remaining ropes strained to hold the bridge. Adults did their best to guide the children off the bridge, but they knew they were out of time when the last rope snapped. They all watched as the bridge began to split in half, which would toss the helpless children into the canyon below.

Suddenly, Supergirl appeared out of nowhere, holding the frayed ropes together. She managed to keep the bridge in place while terrified children were ushered toward land. Kara’s head was throbbing, and her whole body ached. She could still use her powers, but the process was draining her far more than it usually did. As the last few children made it to safety, she sighed in relief, and released the bridge she’d been holding together. She used the last of her energy to reach a safe landing spot, and then collapsed in a heap.

Immediately, one of the adults rushed over to check on her. Supergirl waved him away. “I’m fine. Just tired,” she said, pasting a smile on her face. He nodded with relief, and offered her a bottle of water. She gulped it down quickly, and he immediately offered her more.

Just then, police cruisers and ambulances came flying into view, along with a Catco chopper. The first image that television audiences saw was that of Supergirl, crumpled in a heap, while a teacher knelt down to offer her a bottle of water. At that moment, a black van drove up. Two agents – a large, imposing man and a woman with short brown hair – ran out to grab Supergirl, and essentially threw her into the van. They slammed the doors and drove off.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“What part of ‘resting’ did you not understand, Supergirl?” Hank snapped angrily. After a tense but quiet ride in the van, Hank finally broke the silence when they reached the DEO’s medical area.

Kara simply sank back onto the sun bed and closed her eyes.

“Kara,” Alex said, “you could’ve been hurt. You barely made it back to land. What if you’d fallen? What if we’d lost you?”

The superhero opened her eyes and looked up at Alex. Eyes filled with anguish, she said, “I’m sorry, Alex. But they were just kids. I couldn’t just ignore them.”

Alex sighed. She knew that Kara shouldn’t have been there, but she also understood that it would have been impossible for Kara to ignore those cries for help. She responded, “Well, this time you don’t get to go back to work. You’re staying here, where we can keep an eye on you.”

Kara was too tired to argue with her sister, or to explain that she wasn’t allowed to go back to work right now anyway. Remembering that conversation, she cringed. If Cat had been angry before, Kara could only imagine how she was reacting to the latest news. With that thought, she sighed and closed her eyes.

Alex stood there beside Kara, holding her sister’s hand, while the hero tried to make sense of her emotions. After a couple of minutes, Kara fell fast asleep. Alex sighed and sank into a chair next to Kara, wondering how her sister had gotten so worn down. Maybe she had been having nightmares, or not sleeping at all, since Cat was attacked. Alex knew that her sister was devoted – and attracted – to her prickly and difficult boss, and knowing what had almost happened to Cat must have been hard for Kara to accept.

Alex absently took out her phone, which had buzzed a few times. Looking at the screen, she did a double-take, and left the room to make a call.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“You want me to do what?” When Alex dialed Cat Grant’s number, she had expected the woman to be concerned about Kara. However, she was taken aback by Cat’s very out-of-character request.

Instead of repeating herself, Cat asked, “Ms. Danvers, Kara hasn’t slept at all for the last two nights, except when she napped on the floor of my balcony.” She paused to give Alex time to process this information, and then explained, “Apparently she thinks she’s the only one who can adequately protect me, and she’s spent her nights perched on a rooftop so she can guard my apartment.”

Alex sighed and shook her head, knowing that sounded exactly like something Kara would do. However, she felt obligated to protect her sister’s identity. This was Cat Grant, after all. “Ms. Grant, I don’t think Kara has a habit of perching on rooftops. Maybe you have her confused–“

Cat cut off her protests quickly. “Don’t patronize me, Ms. Danvers. It’s a waste of both of our time. If I wanted to expose Kara, I could’ve done it when she took four bullets for me. The evidence was clear.”

Alex nodded to herself. So Cat does know, she thought. It wasn’t particularly surprising, given the woman’s investigative prowess, but it was problematic nonetheless. Would she fire Kara? Would she use this information to advance her own interests? Alex suspected the answer to both questions was no.

Without waiting for a response, she continued, “Right now, I want to see Kara take better care of herself. So unless you’re planning to hold her hostage tonight, we should probably set her up in my guest bedroom. At least that way, she might actually get some rest.”

Alex opened her mouth to protest, thinking about all of the reasons this plan was a terrible idea. But as unconventional as Cat Grant’s methods might be, the woman obviously had Kara’s best interests at heart. Alex also acknowledged to herself that with Kara’s protective instincts, keeping her away from Cat’s apartment would be difficult. Her sister was determined to keep Cat safe. Letting her stay there might actually be the best solution for Kara.

“All right, Ms. Grant,” she responded. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Bring her to Catco at seven,” Cat instructed. “She’ll come home with me.” Before Alex could say a word, the woman hung up.


	8. Respite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again friends... This chapter might be a little boring, before the action picks up again in the next chapter. I apologize in advance. Hopefully I'll do better tomorrow.
> 
> I hope you're all doing well. Thank you so much for reading, and thanks for all of your comments, kudos, and suggestions!!!!

An exhausted superhero - clad in oversized military sweats - and a rather curious DEO agent pulled up in front of the Catco building shortly before 7 p.m. “Alex, what are we doing here?” Kara asked, glancing up at the building nervously. “I thought you were taking me home.”

Alex smiled. “I never said that, Kara. I told you that we were going to get you settled for the night. Ms. Grant wanted you to meet her here.” She hopped out of the car and walked around to the passenger’s side to help Kara. Noticing the traces of fear mixed with confusion on Kara’s face, Alex took pity on her sister. “Cat decided that you need to go home with her tonight.”

“She… what?” Kara responded weakly, unable to comprehend what Alex had said.

Alex sighed. “She insisted, Kara. Apparently she is under the impression that you’ve spent the last two nights guarding her home, and she didn’t want you to have another sleepless night.”

Kara flushed slightly. “I’m sorry, Alex. I was just afraid that something might happen to her.”

“I know, Kara,” Alex said gently. “We just want you to get some rest, so you’re staying in her guest room.”

Kara shook her head in confusion, struggling to process this information. “But…” 

She told me not to come back here until I was ready to work, Kara mused. She threatened to fire me if I went anywhere near her apartment. Wait a minute. Is she…. 

In a whisper, Kara asked, “Am I being fired?”

Alex laughed in surprise. “No, Kara. Come on already. She’s waiting for you.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the two women stepped out of the elevator, the office was empty except for Cat Grant herself. The media mogul barely glanced in their direction. “Have a seat,” she announced, gesturing toward the couch in her office, and went back to reading something on her computer. Kara hesitated, with an anxious look on her face, but Alex simply grabbed Kara’s hand and tugged her slightly forward, leading her to the couch. A few moments later, Cat closed her laptop, took off her glasses, and surveyed the two women in front of her. She stepped forward and offered her hand to Alex, who stood up to shake her hand. “Thank you for coming, Ms. Danvers.”

The agent nodded. “We’ll need to stop at Kara’s place to get her some things.”

Cat nodded. “Of course. I can have my driver–“

Alex shook her head. “I’ll drive. The van’s not stylish, but it’s bulletproof.” Alex inclined her head toward Kara, and said, “My sister would kill me if I took any chances with you.”

Kara smiled gratefully at her sister, flushing slightly. “Thanks, Alex,” she said softly.

Cat’s eyes softened for a moment as she looked at Kara, but her no-nonsense demeanor returned so quickly that Alex almost thought she had imagined it. The older woman nodded, and responded, “All right, then. Let’s go.”

Cat watched Kara and Alex turn toward the public elevator, and rolled her eyes and sighed. “Oh, come on. I don’t have time for this,” she said impatiently, waving them toward her private elevator. “You’d better not be carrying any germs.”

The three women rode the elevator in silence, and then Alex told Cat and Kara to wait while she surveyed the area outside the building for possible threats. Kara nodded gratefully, and Cat noted the exchange with interest. She had recognized Alex Danvers as one of the agents she’d seen on television taking care of Supergirl, and could see that Kara had complete and total faith in her sister. Bravery must run in the family.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Cat and Kara finally arrived at Cat’s apartment. Alex accompanied them upstairs, and then left, telling Cat to call or text if she needed anything. After Alex left, Cat motioned Kara to follow her to the guest bedroom. She began explaining where to find towels, toiletries, and other items. While she talked, Kara stood there nervously, without saying a word.

Eventually, Cat couldn’t take it anymore. “Kara,” she said, exasperated, “am I really that terrifying?”

Kara shook her head. “No, Ms. Grant,” she said hurriedly.

“Then why are you so uncomfortable?” Cat responded, sighing.

For a moment, Kara simply looked down at the floor, and didn’t respond. Finally she asked, in a small voice, “Why are you doing this?”

“What is ‘this,’ exactly?” Cat responded hesitantly.

“This,” Kara said, gesturing around her helplessly. “Bringing me here. I thought you were going to fire me, and instead, you’re taking care of me.”

Cat sighed. These were questions that she had been asking herself all evening, and she still didn’t like the answers. She settled for the least personal one: “Kara, you’ve made it clear that you won’t take care of yourself right now. Since I’m the reason you’re so tired, I thought I should help you recover.”

“Oh,” said Kara softly, as she tried to contain her disappointment. Cat was feeling guilty, and felt obligated to help. It was nothing more than that. Any connection that Kara thought they might have had, as Supergirl or as Cat’s assistant, was irrelevant.

Cat could hear the disappointment in the hero’s voice. She stared at Kara, trying to decipher the girl’s reaction. What was Kara hoping she would say? Obviously, she thought of Kara as a friend, and dreamt about much more, but she certainly wasn’t about to admit that. Kara was her employee.

The moment of silence was broken by the doorbell ringing. Kara immediately tensed and spun around, but Cat put her hand on Kara’s shoulder to calm the superhero. “It’s just dinner, Kara,” Cat said quietly. “I thought you’d probably be hungry. Look, Nick texted me to say he was here.” Cat went to the door to collect two large pizzas, and then grabbed a plate and some napkins. Then she continued, “Alex told me to order you two larges. She said you might not finish them both now, but it’d be good to get you a snack for later.”

“But Cat…” Kara began, “None of this is for you? Aren’t you going to eat?”

Cat shook her head. “I ate earlier. Did you really think you’d see me eating pizza? These are for you. Now please, eat something.”

“Thanks,” said Kara quietly, looking thoroughly miserable. She sat down at the table, picked up a slice, and took a few small bites.

Cat sighed. She thought that maybe pizza would cheer Kara up, but the young woman looked even less happy than before, and Cat wasn’t sure what to do about that. Shaking her head, the older woman announced that she had a little more work to do, and that she would be in her home office if Kara needed anything. Kara nodded without looking up, and Cat left the room.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara knew she needed to eat, but she wasn’t feeling particularly hungry. She felt bad for putting Cat in this position, where her boss felt obligated to take care of her. Still, she wanted to make this job easier for the older woman, so she managed to finish half a pizza, and then put the boxes in the fridge and her plate in the dishwasher. She went back to the guest room to lie down, and was so tired that she fell asleep instantly.

An hour later, Cat stopped by Kara’s room to check on her, and saw the hero fast asleep. God, she’s beautiful, Cat thought to herself, and immediately scolded herself for even considering that thought. Sighing, she turned away to let the superhero sleep – when out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kara bolt upward into a sitting position. “Kara?” she asked gently.

In her half-awake daze, Kara murmured, “Shots. And screaming. Three blocks from here.” She winced and grabbed her head, as if squeezing it would shut out the noises. Wrapping her head in her hands, she curled into the fetal position, with an anguished look on her face. After another minute, she looked up, eyes pleading. “Ms. Grant, I have to help. Please.”

Cat could see the pain in Kara’s eyes, and her heart melted for the suffering superhero. She knew it must be impossible for Kara to ignore screams and cries for help. Still, Cat was determined to protect her at all costs. “Kara, you know your body can’t handle it right now. What if you get shot?”

Kara nodded miserably, and put her hands over her ears. A moment later, she stiffened, and spun to look in that direction, gasping at whatever she saw. Instantly, she was on her feet, dressed in her Supergirl costume. “I have to, Ms. Grant. I’m so sorry,” she said quietly, and then disappeared into the night.

“Damn it, Kara!” Cat said fiercely, slamming her hand on the door. This was the last thing the hero should be doing right now. Not knowing what else to do, Cat grabbed her phone and texted Alex.


	9. One Fight Too Many

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone...
> 
> I got less writing done yesterday than I had thought, so the chapter had to wait an extra day. I'm so sorry! Now that I'm home, I am hoping to be back on a normal schedule, with chapters posted daily.
> 
> Thanks for all of your encouragement, and thanks so much for reading this!! It means a lot to know that people are enjoying the story.

Watching from Cat’s apartment, Kara had seen three masked men rob a convenience store. They entered the store wielding guns, and forced the employees to empty the register. As they were leaving, one of the men fired a few warning shots at various items in the store. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the shots did significant damage.

Kara forced herself not to chase after them, and sat, frozen in place, as the situation continued to unfold. Next, the robbers decided that they needed a getaway vehicle. They grabbed a woman who had just stepped out of her car, and forced her to get back into the driver’s seat. They piled into the vehicle with her, pointing their guns in her direction, and ordered her to drive them away from the scene. The terrified woman complied.

Kara watched, wide-eyed, as the man in the front seat ordered the woman to drive faster. He held the gun to her head, screaming that he would kill her if she didn’t speed up. Kara could see from the look in the woman’s eyes that she might try something desperate, and the hero couldn’t sit back and watch anymore. She apologized to Cat, and took off.

Supergirl flew at top speed – or at least the closest she could come to that right now – toward the fleeing vehicle. When she reached the getaway car, Kara paused for a moment. She didn’t want to take any chances that the woman would get shot, and she knew that her super-speed was a little slower than usual. She decided to start with the man in the front of the vehicle. Approaching the car, the hero yanked the passenger’s driver door open, and punched the man in the front seat, knocking him out cold. She saw the woman slam on the brakes, and nodded in encouragement.

Next, she turned to deal with the two men in the back seat, who were rattled but unharmed. One man was focused on her, and the other was aiming his gun toward the driver. Knowing she needed to protect the woman, Kara lunged toward the second man. She grabbed his gun and twisted it in half, while telling the woman to get out of the car and run.

At that moment, she heard an explosion, and gasped as she felt a searing pain in her side. Despite the pain, Kara spun around and swatted at the remaining gun, sending it careening through the window. She moved to follow the gun, but barely made it out of the car before collapsing on the pavement.

As sirens roared in the distance, Kara saw both men scramble toward the gun that she had sent flying. Fighting the darkness that threatened to overcome her, the superhero sent a blast of heat vision at the remaining gun, welding it shut, before losing consciousness on the concrete road.

Alex arrived at the scene and was greeted by a terrifying sight – Supergirl’s limp body curled on its side, blood seeping out of her suit. “No, no, no,” she murmured, running over to her sister. She knelt down next to Kara, and was relieved to feel a pulse. DEO paramedics ran toward the hero, and quickly loaded Supergirl onto a gurney. Frozen in fear, Alex watched as they took her sister away.

From behind the agent, a gruff voice said, “Come on, Alex. You need to go take care of your sister.”

Alex nodded silently, and followed Hank back to the van.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat had been pacing her front hallway for the better part of an hour. After watching the media coverage of Supergirl’s injury, she couldn’t erase the image of an unconscious, bloodied superhero from her mind. She hadn’t heard from Alex, and while she understood completely, the uncertainty was killing her. Kara had to be okay. She simply had to be. If something happened to the superhero… Cat shivered. She couldn’t even imagine that possibility.

Over and over, Cat replayed tonight’s conversations in her head. What could she have done differently to prevent Kara from taking off to help? How could she have convinced the superhero not to endanger her own life? Cat knew that there was probably nothing she could have done, but that realization didn’t stop her from second-guessing every word she’d spoken.

What if Cat had simply been honest with Kara in the first place? What if she’d let Kara know just how much the young woman meant to her? Would that have helped her talk Kara out of helping? How would Kara even react to that admission? After tonight, she might never know.

Cat was startled by a sudden knock at her front door. She frowned. Who would be coming at this time of night? Looking through the peephole, Cat saw a large man dressed all in black, holding up an FBI badge. She recognized him as the one she had seen with Alex when Supergirl got hurt.

Cat composed herself as much as she possibly could, and then opened the door. “Yes?” she said, summoning a bored, impatient tone.

“You’re coming with me,” the man announced gruffly.

Cat raised an eyebrow, not used to taking orders from others. “Am I under arrest?” she asked drily.

The man sighed, and said, “Look, I don’t want you to come, but Alex insisted. She said Kara needs you.”

Cat nodded curtly. “Let me get my purse.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a half-hour lecture by Director Hank Henshaw on the consequences of leaking any of this to the press, Cat was more than ready to get out of the car when they finally reached the DEO. She hadn’t been told anything about Kara, and she needed to know what was going on. She silently followed Hank into the dark, dismal facility, toward the medical treatment area.

When they reached that section of the building, Alex was standing there waiting for them. Glancing at Alex’s pale face and red-rimmed eyes did nothing to alleviate Cat’s concerns. “Ms. Danvers,” she said softly, “what can you tell me?”

Alex sighed. “Kara was shot,” she said grimly. “The bullet shouldn’t have hurt her, but she’s so worn down that I don’t think her body could handle the trauma. As soon as we got her here, doctors took her into surgery to remove the bullet and close the wound. They were able to do that, but she’s lost a lot of blood.”

Cat listened silently, clenching her fists and fighting to control her emotions. She felt weak and dizzy, and when Hank brought over a couple of chairs, she sank into one gratefully. Alex continued, “Ms. Grant, no one else could’ve survived these injuries. She’s hanging on, but just barely. Normally, Kara’s body would heal itself, but that’s just not happening right now. We really don’t know whether she’s…” Alex took a deep breath, and then continued, “…going to make it.”

Cat reached out to grasp Alex’s hands. She could see how hard Alex was fighting to stay in control, and how terrified the woman was. She wanted to offer hope, just as Kara always did. “Ms. Danvers, Kara is strong. She’s a fighter. She’ll make it through this.” She squeezed Alex’s hand, and continued, “If Supergirl has taught me anything, it’s that we should never lose hope.”

Alex nodded, and the ghost of a smile crossed her lips. “Follow me. And please call me Alex.” 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, the two women were still sitting next to Kara’s bed, grasping the hero’s hands. There had been no change in Kara’s state, which Alex thought was probably a good sign. “The longer she can hold on, the more time her body has to regain strength.”

Cat desperately hoped the agent was right. She needed Kara to get better. She needed more time with the beautiful superhero. She’d been fighting so hard to keep those feelings bottled up – what if she’d lost her only chance? All of her reservations – the age difference, Kara being her employee – now seemed so petty, with Kara fighting just to stay alive. She needed Kara to come back to her.

“I just wish there was something I could do,” the older woman said softly. “Alex, I’m not good at waiting.”

Alex smiled briefly, and grabbed Cat’s other hand. “I know,” she said. “Me neither.”

Suddenly, the hero stirred. Alex leapt up to check on Kara, whose eyes flickered open. “Alex?” she whispered.

Alex smiled at the hero, and a few tears escaped. “Kara, I’m right here,” she said, touching Kara’s cheek.

“What… Where…?” Kara couldn’t figure out where to begin.

“Kara, you’re okay,” Alex said soothingly. “You were shot, and your body was too worn down to block it. You had surgery, and you’re going to be fine.” Alex sincerely hoped she was telling the truth.

“But… Cat…”

“I’m right here, Kara,” Cat said softly, squeezing Kara’s hand.

Kara’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry–“

“Shh,” Cat interrupted, putting her hand on Kara’s forehead. “Get some sleep, Kara.”

Kara whispered, “okay,” and closed her eyes. Cat began to stroke the top of Kara’s head while the hero slept.

Alex looked at the monitors, and said in a shaky voice, “She’s going to make it.”

Cat looked at the agent, and nodded. “Of course she is, Alex. She’s Supergirl.”


	10. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone - writing has been really challenging over the last few days, but I've finally finished this slightly shorter chapter. More actual plot returns in the next chapter, which I am hoping to post tomorrow, but no guarantees right now.
> 
> Thank you all for continuing to read and comment. I don't feel like these last couple of chapters have been great, but I really do appreciate your support. Hoping to do better in the next one.

Two hours later, Alex officially declared Kara out of danger. The superhero’s body was beginning to heal itself, and her vital signs were improving. With that pronouncement, she sank into a chair, exhausted. Cat gave her a sympathetic look, and told her to go get some sleep. 

Alex shook her head. “I’m not ready to leave Kara alone,” she admitted.

Cat nodded, then paused and studied the agent. She had so many unanswered questions. She inquired, “The two of you are very close. How did Kara become your sister?” She raised an eyebrow at Alex. “I’m assuming you’re not Kryptonian?”

“Sadly, no,” responded Alex, smiling slightly. “Superman brought her to us. My father had worked with him, so he knew that we would understand Kara better than most. We adopted her.” She was slightly hesitant to answer questions, knowing Cat’s reputation as a reporter, but found that she actually liked the older woman, who obviously had a soft spot for Kara. She would have to trust the woman’s integrity.

Cat nodded, considering. After a moment, she asked, “Why didn’t Superman take care of her himself?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t think he was ready to handle a teenage girl, especially one who had been older than him on Krypton.”

“Older than him?” Cat was surprised, and fascinated. “How is that possible?”

Sighing, Alex responded, “Ms. Grant, I don’t think that’s my story to tell.” She wasn’t about to reveal Kara’s secrets.

“Please,” Cat said, shaking her head. “Call me Cat. And I’m sorry for prying. I just have so many questions.”

Alex smiled. “Kara is pretty fascinating.”

“She is,” Cat said quietly. “And infuriating.”

Just then, Hank entered the room with two cups of coffee. “Thought you two might need this,” he said, handing them the coffees. “How’s our patient?”

“Getting better,” Alex responded wearily. “Slowly.”

Hank nodded silently. Seeing that neither woman looked ready to go anywhere, he left the two of them to watch over Kara.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara felt like she had been run over by a truck. She slowly forced her eyes open, and blinked a few times to adjust to the bright lights surrounding her. The hero tried to speak, but her mouth was so dry that she simply made an incoherent sound. Instantly, Alex’s face came into view, and she managed to paste a smile on her face at the sight of her sister, who was clearly exhausted.

Alex could see that Kara was trying to speak, and offered her a straw. Gratefully, Kara sipped some water. “Alex, how long have you been here? You need sleep.”

“Neither of us wanted to go anywhere,” Alex responded gently, squeezing Kara’s hand. “We’ve been here all night.”

“We?” Kara gave her a confused look.

Alex smiled. “Cat hasn’t left your side either.”

Kara’s face softened. “Ms. Grant is here?”

“I’m right here, Kara,” Cat said, taking the superhero’s other hand.

“But…” Kara was struggling to make sense of her surroundings. “Don’t you need to be at Catco?”

“I need to be right here,” Cat said firmly.

“How are you feeling?” Alex asked. Even as she asked the question, she moved to add something to her sister’s IV. She could see from Kara’s eyes that the hero was in pain. It was hard to know what dosage was needed, though. Kara’s immune system was somewhere between human and Kryptonian right now, and Alex didn’t want to overdo the medication.

“It’s okay,” replied Kara weakly.

Cat rolled her eyes. “Don’t be foolish, Kara. Alex needs to know how much pain you’re in.”

Kara sighed, but admitted, “Everything hurts.”

Alex nodded, upping the dosage on the IV. “Let’s see how you feel in a few minutes. If you’re still in this much pain, I’ll try something else.”

Kara closed her eyes. “Thanks, Alex,” she said in a weary voice. “And… Ms. Grant? I’m glad you’re here.” She sank back into unconsciousness.

Alex smiled and shook her head. Her sister was totally smitten.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By mid-morning, Alex had gotten Cat set up with a computer and phone, knowing that the woman needed to run her company, even if she wasn’t willing to leave Kara’s side. “Sorry I can’t find you an adequate assistant,” she said, smirking slightly. “We’re a little short-staffed here too.”

It was true. They could’ve really used Supergirl’s help this morning in dealing with some extraterrestrial situations. The DEO managed to handle everything themselves, but Alex had been called into action twice already today.

Cat shook her head. “Someday, I want to profile this organization. It’s absolutely fascinating.”

“Cat, you know that you can’t say anything–“

“Relax, Alex,” Cat interrupted. “I’m not here to divulge sensitive information. I’m here for Kara.” At that, she gazed softly at the sleeping superhero.

Alex sighed. “God, the two of you are ridiculous.”

Cat smiled slightly, and returned to answering emails.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the day wore on, the two women found it harder and harder to keep their eyes open – particularly Alex, who had also been called upon to beat up some aliens. With some reluctance, Alex eventually agreed to go take a nap, but she made Cat promise that when she woke up, the older woman would go home and get some rest.

Under Cat’s supervision, Kara occasionally regained consciousness for a few minutes, and then drifted back into a painful, hazy slumber. Although Kara was not complaining, the pain in her eyes was evident, and Cat badly wished that she could do something to help. Alex had suggested that she raise the dosage on the pain meds each hour until Kara seemed more comfortable, but it didn’t seem to be helping. With Kara’s body getting stronger, Cat imagined that the meds were having a diminishing effect.

Kara only remained awake long enough to exchange a couple of words at a time, but did ask whether the robbers had all been captured. Of course she would think to ask that, Cat mused. Always concerned with everyone else, rather than herself. Cat found that irritating, although she couldn’t exactly say why. She was tired and hungry, and way behind on her work, partly due to her assistant being unavailable. Yet there was Kara, still thinking about helping everyone else.

When Kara turned her concerned gaze on Cat, and asked why the media mogul hadn’t yet returned to her office, Cat finally snapped. “You nearly died, Kara. Do you really think I’m so heartless that I could just go on with my job, not caring whether or not you made it? Do you think I can just walk out of here and not feel a thing?”

Cat began to pace. “You don’t even try to take care of yourself, forcing the rest of us to do it for you. Well, here I am. And you’re going to be stuck with me until you start behaving like a rational adult.”

Kara’s eyes widened with guilt. Cat was stuck here, taking care of her. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Ms. Grant. You don’t need to stay. I can take care of myself.”

Cat leveled a gaze at the young woman. “You’ve repeatedly proven otherwise.”

Kara sighed, and closed her eyes. She didn’t have the energy to continue the conversation. After a moment, she fell back asleep.

Cat scowled at the sleeping superhero, annoyed at having her tirade cut off so abruptly. Hank, who had been watching the exchange from the doorway, suggested that Cat walk down the hall to get some more coffee. The woman needed a chance to clear her head.

Cat nodded, slightly chagrined, and headed down the hallway. She knew she was being ridiculous. She was just so scared of losing Kara, and they had come so close. Sarcasm and criticism were her tools of choice to hide her own vulnerability. But she couldn’t continue to take her frustrations out on Kara, who deserved much better than that. Cat still wasn’t sure how to contain her growing feelings for the superhero, but she knew that she wanted to be a friend to Kara, and to have the woman in her life, as much as possible.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Alex woke up and returned to check on Kara, she was surprised to see Hank standing in the doorway. “Alex,” Hank said, “you’ve had three hours of sleep in two nights. Cat’s had none. The two of you need to go and get some actual rest. Take Cat home. She has graciously agreed to let you stay in her guest room. You can bring her back in the morning.”

As Alex started to object, Hank held up a hand. “How do you think Kara will feel if you let Cat go home alone? The shooter is still out there.”

Alex scowled, but nodded reluctantly. The thought of sleeping in a real bed was actually pretty appealing, and Kara’s situation was no longer dire. Alex went to check on Kara one last time, and then grabbed the keys and drove Cat home.


	11. Recuperating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this 3-5 chapter fic is now at 11 and counting, and I'm nowhere near done. Oops.
> 
> This chapter is all about Cat & Alex, and a little bit of plot. Hope you enjoy it. I'm still struggling to write, so I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.
> 
> Thank you, as always, for your comments, and for reading!

Cat and Alex climbed into the front seat of a black SUV. Neither woman wanted to leave right now, but both could acknowledge that they needed a few hours of real sleep. As Alex started the car, she glanced at Cat, and smiled slightly. “Don’t worry, Cat. She’ll be fine. I have her on video monitoring.” She showed Cat her phone, which displayed a sleeping Kara, along with a summary of her vitals. “It’ll alert me if anything unusual happens.”

Cat relaxed slightly, nodding. “That does make me feel better.” She had no doubt that if anything went wrong, Alex would take care of it. After spending so much time with Alex, she could easily see why Kara had such faith in her sister. Alex was a trained agent, but she also knew quite a bit about medicine. Curiously, she asked, “Alex, are you an agent or a doctor?”

Alex laughed. “Actually, I’m a scientist, specializing in Kryptonian physiology. Fighting aliens is just something I picked up along the way. In my job, I do a little bit of everything.”

Cat nodded, staring out into the twilight. “Having a Kryptonian sister would help with that, I imagine.” Glancing at Alex, she asked, “Was that your father’s specialty too? Is that why Superman knew him so well?”

Alex nodded. “Both my parents are scientists.” She left it at that, and Cat decided not to pry. Alex’s haunted look was enough of a warning. Something terrible had happened, and Alex wasn’t someone who shared secrets easily.

Cat changed the subject back to their shared interest. “Alex, why did Kara wait so long to become Supergirl? It must have killed her, not being able to help.”

Alex’s eyes softened at the mention of Kara. “The world already had Superman, so she felt like they didn’t need another superhero. I encouraged her to try to lead a normal life. I was afraid that she’d get hurt trying to save everyone.”

Cat responded, “You were trying to protect her.”

“Yeah,” Alex said softly, “but it was more than that.” She looked at Cat intently. “None of this can be printed, okay? I know how much you care about Kara, but you’re also a journalist. I’m only telling you this so that you can understand her better.”

Cat nodded. “I know that. I would never print anything that would put Kara in danger.”

Alex took a deep breath. She knew she could trust Cat, but it had to be said. “When Kara landed on Earth, her ship brought another object with it. It was called Fort Rozz, and it contained Krypton’s most dangerous prisoners. All of them escaped. We’ve been trying to hunt them down ever since.”

Cat stared at Alex. “We have Krypton’s worst criminals running free on Earth?”

Alex sighed. “We’ve caught most of them, but some are still loose.”

Cat nodded slowly, a puzzled look on her face. She thought about the aliens Kara had fought. Now, at least she knew where they came from. “But what does this have to do with Kara? Wouldn’t they be glad that her ship freed them all?”

Alex shook her head. “Cat, Kara’s mother was the judge who sentenced them to Fort Rozz.”

Cat closed her eyes, finally understanding just how dangerous Kara’s life had become. “Do they know who she is?” she asked reluctantly.

Alex nodded grimly. “One of the former prisoners is her aunt Astra. Her mother’s twin. We’re assuming she’s told everyone who Kara is.”

This story was becoming more complex by the second. “Kara’s mother sentenced her own twin sister to Fort Rozz?”

“I don’t think she felt she had a choice,” Alex said. “From what Kara told me, Astra did some horrible things. Kara was devastated. Astra was like a second mother to her.”

Cat shook her head, trying desperately to process all of this information. “I had no idea,” she said softly, “about any of this. I’ve been so hard on her.”

“No, Cat,” Alex responded. “You’ve pushed her to become a better superhero, and a better person. You’ve been exactly what she needed.” Alex sighed. “I didn’t believe in her. That’s why I encouraged her to hide her powers, not to draw attention to herself. But you believed in her from the start. That’s why you criticized her, and why you demanded more from her. Without you, she wouldn’t be Supergirl.”

Cat shrugged, knowing that she had pushed the superhero for selfish reasons as well. As they pulled up to the front of her building, she decided that none of that mattered anymore. What mattered now was taking care of Kara, so that the superhero would be around for a long time.

As Cat reached for the door, Alex’s hand shot out to stop her. “Stay right there,” the agent murmured, as she scanned the area. She reached in the glove compartment for a pair of binoculars, and focused them to Cat’s right. “Possible suspect,” she said quietly, gesturing with her head. Cat looked closely, but saw nothing. She turned to ask Alex what was going on, but Alex was already on the phone. “There’s someone on the roof over by the St. Lawrence church, on Taylor Street. I’m going to bring the car around back. I might’ve spooked them, but can you check it out? Yeah, thanks.” She hung up, switched the car back into drive, and pulled away from the curb. “Sorry, Cat. We’re going to need to use the back entrance.”

Cat had paled slightly, but nodded. “I didn’t see anything,” she murmured. “How did you know?”

Alex shrugged. “Training,” she replied. “I felt someone watching.”

“Well,” said Cat weakly, “I’m glad you’re here.” She made an effort to slow her racing heart. She never would have seen it coming.

Alex smiled slightly. “Me too. Can you imagine Kara’s reaction if something happened to you? Now, let’s go get some sleep.”

Cat nodded, although she wasn’t sure how much sleep she would be able to get now. By the time she had curled up in her own bed, however, her body had decided otherwise. She fell asleep instantly.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time agents arrived, the shooter was long gone from his rooftop hideout. They canvassed the area for prints or other scraps of evidence, but found nothing. Taking no chances, Hank assigned two agents to the doorway of Cat’s building, and another two agents to guard her apartment. He knew that Alex wouldn’t rest unless she knew that Cat was safe.

The two women slept through the night, waking only after Cat’s alarm went off the next morning for work. By the time Cat emerged, Alex was already sitting on the couch waiting for her. “Do you get up this early every morning?” Alex asked, somewhat grouchily.

“My company won’t run itself,” Cat said in response.

Alex stood up. “Speaking of that, don’t you need to go into work today? I know you want to be with Kara, but you’re probably really behind.” 

Cat shrugged, and quietly admitted, “Honestly, I’m a little afraid to go to Catco without Kara.”

Alex tried to hide her surprise. It wasn’t often that Cat admitted she was afraid of anything. She looked at Cat. “You’ll be safe anywhere you go. We have DEO personnel guarding you 24-7 now. They’ll make sure you’re safe. Hank isn’t taking any chances.”

Cat nodded in acknowledgement. “I appreciate that. And Alex… I never did thank you for protecting me yesterday.”

Alex shrugged. “Of course. Kara needs you,” was all she said.

Cat carefully hid a smile at the agent’s answer. The two of them were so alike – always carefully guarding their feelings, telling people only what they needed to know. And somehow, in both cases, Kara had managed to squeeze her way past those barriers. She admitted, “I need her too.”

Alex smiled gently. “We both do. Let’s go see how she’s doing. I’ll take you to work later.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Walking into the treatment area, the two women could immediately see that Kara was doing much better. The pain was nearly gone from her eyes, and she was having an animated discussion with Dr. Morris. Upon seeing Cat and Alex, her eyes lit up. She moved to sit up, and Dr. Morris put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “Supergirl, take it easy.”

“I’m just so sick of lying here,” Kara complained. “I’ve already counted all of the cracks in the ceiling.”

Alex laughed. “If she’s whining, she must be feeling better.” She lifted the box in her hand. “Kara, I brought you some breakfast.” She had seen that Kara was more alert, and thought her sister might be getting hungry – a semi-permanent state for healthy Kara.

“Crullers?” asked Kara hopefully.

Alex nodded, and handed over the box. Kara ripped it open to grab one, and then stopped herself. “Do, um, does anyone else want one?” They all shook their heads, and Kara eagerly grabbed the first cruller and began eating.

Cat laughed. “Does she always eat like this?”

“Trust me, this is nothing,” responded Alex, smiling.

“I hmmff a good metabfffism,” choked out Kara between bites, causing Cat to laugh again.

“How is she?” Alex asked, directing the question at Dr. Morris.

The doctor smiled. “You took good care of her yesterday, Agent Danvers. She’s recovering well. Her powers are returning, at least the healing ones. The wound is healing nicely. I think it’ll be gone in another day or so. She should drink lots of fluids and eat as much as possible, and then maybe we can think about getting her home.”

Alex nodded. “She’s not going home, though.” At Kara’s sudden alarmed glance, Alex smiled at Cat. “She’s going to need other people to help her for a few days. She can come to my apartment, but I’m not around much. Cat, maybe yours would be better?”

Cat nodded gratefully at Alex, knowing that the agent had suggested the arrangement as much for Cat’s benefit as Kara’s. “That would be best, I think.”

“But…” Kara began, a conflicted look on her face. She had inconvenienced Cat enough. “She has work to do. She doesn’t need me to be in her way.”

“Nonsense,” Cat responded, thinking back to that exhausted lecture she’d given Kara yesterday, and feeling guilty. “I told you I’d take care of you, and I meant it. You’ll come home with me.”

Kara looked miserable, but nodded reluctantly. Cat wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to approach the topic, particularly not with other people in the room. Alex just stared at the two of them, puzzled.

Dr. Morris broke the silence, talking about what Kara would need once she left, and suggesting that the portable sun lamps be brought to Kara’s room to give her more of a boost. Alex nodded, and said they’d make all of the arrangements later in the day, once they were confident that Kara was ready to go.

A short while later, Alex took Cat to work. Taking no chances, she used the underground garage, and surveyed the area thoroughly before allowing Cat to leave the car. She promised to return toward the end of the day to pick up Cat. Alex was confident they could assure her safety in Catco – two agents were stationed near Cat’s office, and another pair was guarding the building’s doors – but she asked Cat not to leave the building or use the balcony, just in case. Cat nodded silently.

“One more thing,” Alex said to Cat. “Why did Kara look so miserable at the idea of staying with you?”

Cat sighed. “I was overtired yesterday. I told Kara that I was there taking care of her because she was unable to take care of herself, and I probably made her feel guilty. I didn’t want to discuss it with so many people in the room, so I’ll talk to her later.”

Alex nodded. “You’re right, though. Kara seldom takes care of herself. She’s too focused on helping others.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “Of course she is. It’s what makes her so amazing, and so aggravating. It was unfair of me to hold that against her.”

Alex smiled. “You’ll find a way to make it up to her.”

Cat nodded. “Thanks for the ride, Alex.” She left the car and headed toward her private elevator. She would need to put Kara aside for the day and focus on Catco. She whipped on her sunglasses, despite the darkness, and stepped into the elevator.


	12. Going Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone - 
> 
> Sorry the pace has slowed down. I've been busy, but it's also just harder to write sometimes. Trying to work through it. Hope this chapter is good enough.
> 
> Thanks for helping me through this with your comments and kudos. I appreciate it.

Cat spent most of the day at Catco, catching up on work. After her absence the previous day, various rumors had begun to circulate, ranging from a bout of the flu to word of her untimely death. As a result, employees throughout the building were eyeing her uneasily. As the day wore on, however, they began to treat her like a normal person again, which was a shame. Scared employees were productive ones, after all.

She worked as efficiently as possible, which was more difficult without her remarkable assistant. And it wasn’t just the superpowers that made Kara so helpful. The woman always seemed to know what Cat needed, before she could even think to ask. Calls and emails were filtered so that she never had to deal with nonsense, and her needs were taken care of without her having to think about them. Cat hadn’t realized just how much Kara did for her until she experienced a day without the young woman.

Despite Kara’s absence, Cat managed to accomplish most of what she wanted to, and by mid-afternoon she felt things were back under control. Fortunately, it was Friday, so she would be able to work from home over the next two days to catch up. She and Alex had exchanged texts throughout the day, and they arranged for Alex to pick her up at 5 p.m. 

When Alex came striding into the office at 4:55, Cat looked pointedly at the clock. Alex smiled, and explained that she came early so Cat wouldn’t go downstairs by herself. The agent waved to Winn, who was staring at her through the glass walls, and sat down on the couch to wait.

As Alex waited patiently for Cat, she saw Winn signal to James, who joined him in staring at Alex. Cat glanced at the pair, and commented, “Clearly, they need more work to do.”

Alex grinned. “They’re just really confused. They had no idea that we even knew each other.”

Cat rolled her eyes, and her voice boomed, “Olsen! Wyatt! Do you not have enough work to keep you busy?” Winn and James immediately scurried back to work.

Alex laughed. “Wow, tough boss.”

“I have a reputation to maintain,” Cat responded, carefully hiding a smile. She grabbed her purse. “All right, let’s go.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Morris had already helped Kara into a wheelchair when Cat and Alex arrived. Alex smiled at her sister. “Must be nice to finally be out of that sun bed.”

Kara made a face. “I feel like an invalid,” she responded, scowling at the wheelchair.

Alex responded, “Yeah, well, you’ll be flying around again in no time. At least people are looking out for you, Kara. Cat ordered you Chinese food. It’ll be waiting when we get there.”

Kara’s eyes lit up, and then dampened again as she remembered that Cat was feeling obligated to take care of her. “Thanks,” she said quietly.

Cat sighed. “Kara, listen to me.” She needed to put a stop to this line of thinking. “Having you at my house is not a hardship. I want you to come. I was just tired and irritable.” She added, “I’m sorry I said that.”

Kara looked at Cat, considering. “You really don’t mind me coming?”

“Of course not, Kara.” She glanced at Alex. “You're welcome too, Alex. I can probably use the help.”

Kara beamed when Alex said she’d be happy to come. Smiling, Alex added, “That bed I slept in last night was amazing. I’d give anything to sleep there again.”

Cat laughed, and then said, “Can we go now? I don’t want the Chinese food to get cold.”

Kara asked hopefully, “Are there potstickers?”

Alex laughed. “We got all your favorites, Kara. Now let’s go.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Why are there agents stationed here?” Kara asked, frowning. “Did something happen?” They had just returned to Cat’s apartment, and Kara noticed that DEO agents were guarding the place.

Alex sighed. Kara was going to learn about it sooner or later, so she might as well tell the truth. “It’s Cat’s stalker, Kara. There was someone watching us from a nearby rooftop when I drove Cat home last night. We were fine. I drove around back. But Hank said he’s not taking any chances, and sent four agents to protect Cat.”

Cat added, “Alex was amazing. I don’t know how she knew there was someone there, but she spotted them immediately.”

Kara frowned, unhappy about not being there to protect Cat. She should’ve been there. If she hadn’t hurt herself in that stupid accident, she could’ve spotted him, and captured him. Now he would try again, and at the moment, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. She hated feeling powerless.

However, if there was anyone else she trusted to handle the situation, it was Alex. She was glad her sister had been there, and that she was coming to stay with them. “Thanks, Alex,” she offered quietly. “I owe you.”

Alex squeezed Kara’s hand, knowing that her sister was beating herself up for not being there. “Kara, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Stronger together, right?”

Kara nodded reluctantly, but said nothing.

Cat looked at Kara for a moment, and then said, “With the Danvers sisters protecting me, this guy doesn’t stand a chance. He has no idea what he’s up against.”

At that, Kara had to smile. “Alex is pretty amazing, isn’t she?”

Cat smiled, and refrained from telling Kara that she was amazing as well. She wouldn't want the compliment to go to the girl's head.

They brought Kara to one of the guest rooms, and set up the sun lamps. Once they had made Kara comfortable on the bed, Cat brought in several bags full of Chinese food, along with some plates and napkins. Kara ate an impressive amount of food, Alex grabbed a few items before they were gone, and Cat stared in awe at Kara’s performance. “I wish I could eat like that,” she remarked, scowling.

Alex grinned. “We all do.”

When Kara had finally declared herself full, Alex brought the remaining food into the kitchen, leaving Cat alone with Kara. Cat sat on the side of the bed. “Is there anything you need, Kara? Anything at all?”

Kara shook her head. “Not right now.” She looked earnestly at the older woman. “Thank you, Ms. Grant. I really appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“Kara…” Cat sighed. “You’re sleeping in my house. Please call me Cat.”

“Okay,” Kara said uncertainly. “Cat, thank you for bringing me here.”

“You're welcome,” Cat answered sincerely, "but it's not exactly a hardship. Kara, you’re very important to me,” she said softly. Kara was reminded of that moment on the balcony, just a few days earlier, when she had spoken those same words to Cat. She felt a flutter in her chest.

Before she could respond, however, Cat changed the subject. “Now you need to get some rest.” Cat helped Kara to rearrange the pillows so that she was lying down, and laid a blanket on top of her. Kara smiled at Cat, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

For a few moments, Cat stood there staring fondly at the superhero. Eventually, she gave in, placed her hand on Kara’s cheek, and kissed her on the forehead. “Good night, Supergirl,” she murmured, and quietly left the room.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Kara awoke to a variety of amazing smells. Just as her stomach began to growl, Cat came into her room carrying a tray loaded with food. There were eggs, home fries, bacon, sausages, and a huge stack of pancakes. Kara’s eyes widened at the sight. “Cat, did you make all of this?” It was hard to imagine Cat Grant slaving over a stove.

Cat laughed. “Believe it or not, I love to cook. Don’t tell anyone.”

Kara sampled a pancake, and closed her eyes in delight. “Wow, this is amazing,” she breathed.

“Well, pancakes aren’t all that complicated,” Cat responded dryly. “Alex thought this would be enough food, but there’s more in the kitchen if you’re still hungry. She’s going to come in and keep you company for a while.”

Kara sighed happily. “If you keep cooking like this, I may never leave.”

A small smile on her face, Cat forced herself not to respond. She turned toward the door, and instructed, “Let me know if you need anything else,” before leaving the room.

Alex came in a moment later, holding a tray of her own, and settled herself into a chair near the bed. “I could get used to eating like this,” she said, shaking her head. Kara grinned and shoveled another forkful of eggs into her mouth. The two ate in blissful silence for a few minutes.

Taking a break between courses, Alex glanced at Kara and asked, “Has she kissed you yet?”

Kara choked on her pancake. She coughed a few times, and then gulped down a few sips of orange juice to help herself recover. “Alex!” she exclaimed.

“What?” asked Alex, fighting a smile. “It’s pretty obvious you both want to.”

“It’s not… It’s not like that, Alex!” Kara was blushing furiously.

“Okay,” responded Alex patiently. “How is it, exactly?”

Kara sighed. “I wish it was like that.” She wrung her hands in frustration. “I can’t help it, Alex. I’ve always admired her. She’s fought so hard for everything she has, and she’s tougher than anyone I’ve ever met. If she has her mind set on something, nothing is going to stop her. But behind that, she’s incredibly smart and kind, and she’s actually really vulnerable. No one gets to see that, unless they spend as much time with her as I do. And she walks into the office every morning, and she looks so glamorous and sexy, and it’s just impossible not to be attracted to her.” She looked at Alex, her eyes clouded with worry. “Am I that obvious? I’ve been trying to hide it.”

Alex laughed. “You’re both pretty obvious. But near-death experiences will do that to people.” She stood up and brushed back a few strands of Kara’s hair. “Kara, my advice is to go for it.”

Kara looked scandalized. “Alex! She wouldn’t want that. I can’t ask my boss on a date.”

“Trust me, Kara,” Alex advised. “If you weren’t so blinded by your own feelings, you’d see exactly what she thinks. It’s pretty obvious.” She kissed the top of Kara’s forehead, and left the room.

Kara stared after Alex. Was Alex really advising her to ask out Cat Grant? Her boss? Who was a multi-millionaire, and the most powerful woman in National City? Why would Cat want to date her lowly assistant? It made no sense.

But she thought back to Cat’s hand on her cheek, and Cat’s words. “Kara, you’re very important to me.” She remembered how Cat had sat by her side after the gunshot wound, and refused to leave until she was sure that Kara was okay. Obviously, Cat cared about her. But wouldn’t any boss care about their personal assistant? What did all of this mean?

Kara shook her head. It was all so confusing, and she was too tired to think. She closed her eyes, and sank into unconsciousness.


	13. Quality Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this is set before the Red Kryptonite and all of that, Astra's still around, so I'm going to modify what happened with her. You'll see.
> 
> Thank you so much for the comments!!!! It makes me so happy to know that people are still liking this story, despite its increasing length. Hopefully you like this chapter. It took me a while to get through it.

When Kara woke up from her mid-morning nap, Cat and Alex transferred her to the balcony. The sunlight would help her to heal more efficiently than sun lamps. DEO agents had scoured the area, and they were confident that the women would be safe. However, Kara was annoyed at being told to use the wheelchair. “I can walk, Alex,” she grumbled. 

“I’m not taking any chances with you, Kara,” Cat responded. “I need you.”

Hearing that, Kara immediately complied. These two are ridiculous, Alex thought. She rolled her eyes at Cat, who smiled and shrugged. 

Once they had settled Kara in a lounge chair, Cat brought her own work out to the balcony to keep Kara company. Alex was already draped across another chair, reading a book. They sat in silence for a while, with Kara napping, Alex reading, and Cat typing away on her computer.

When Alex’s phone rang, she groaned. She really needed a day off. “Don’t they know it’s Saturday?” She searched her pockets for her cell phone, pulled it out, and snapped, “Danvers.” As she listened, her forehead creased with concern. “Be there soon,” she said, and hung up the phone.

“What’s going on, Alex?” Kara asked sleepily.

Alex was relieved that Kara hadn’t heard the phone conversation – apparently her super-hearing hadn’t returned – but the agent kept her face carefully devoid of expression. “I’m not exactly sure, Kara. I’ll let you know.”

Cat studied Alex silently, and then stood up. “Well, if you’re leaving, let me get you a key,” she offered. Alex raised an eyebrow, but followed the older woman inside.

When they reached the kitchen, Cat turned around and stared at Alex. “Alex, what aren’t you telling Kara?”

“Cat, I really can’t divulge–“

“Alex,” Cat said firmly, stopping the agent mid-sentence. “I don’t care about your DEO secrets. You know I won’t print anything. I care about Kara, and you’re hiding something from her.”

Alex held her gaze for a moment, and then said, “I guess you should probably know. Kara’s going to need you.” She glanced in the direction of the balcony, as if verifying that Kara wasn’t listening. When she looked at Cat again, her eyes were filled with concern. “It’s Kara’s aunt. She was killed.”

“The one who was imprisoned?” Cat said, trying to make sense of this new information.

Alex nodded. “Astra’s death will be hard on Kara, no matter what she’s done. Kara was very close to her aunt, before everything happened. And there’s something strange about Astra’s death. I need to go find out what happened.”

Cat gazed at Alex steadily, and then decided not to press the issue. Alex would tell her when she had all the information. “Let me know how I can help,” she finally said. “I’m assuming you don’t want Kara to know yet, but I’ll want to be there when you tell her.”

Alex nodded. “Thanks, Cat. I’ll be in touch.”

Cat handed Alex a house key, and Alex looked at her, bemused. “I don’t really need this, with agents stationed at the door.”

“I know,” responded Cat, smiling slightly. “I just wanted to corner you.”

“I figured,” Alex said, returning the smile.

Spontaneously, Cat reached out and squeezed Alex’s hand. “Take care of yourself, Alex. Kara needs you.”

Alex smiled, touched by the older woman's concern. "Cat, just do me a favor, will you?” she responded.

“Of course, Alex.”

“Will you please tell Kara how you feel?" Alex shook her head. "The two of you are driving me crazy.”

Cat drew back slightly. “Alex, I don’t… It’s not that simple.” She walked over toward the window, and stared at Kara on the balcony. “It could never work between us.”

“Why not?” Alex asked softly. Although she suspected she already knew why Cat was hesitant, she felt it was important for the woman to voice those concerns.

“Alex, just look at her. She’s gorgeous and kind, and so selfless. She believes that people are good, and she inspires hope in everyone.”

“So do you, Cat,” Alex responded. “Do you know how many people look up to you, Kara included?”

Cat sighed. “But that’s just it, Alex. I’m old and jaded. Kara, on the other hand, is a beacon of hope for everyone. She doesn’t need someone like me in her life.”

“You’re not that cynical, Cat. Don’t you remember telling me that you had faith in Kara, when she was fighting for her life?” Alex shook her head. “You try so hard to project this image of toughness and cynicism. I think maybe you even believe it’s who you are, but it’s not.” Alex stepped up behind Cat, and put a hand on Cat’s shoulder. “Cat, you’ve been the one spreading Supergirl’s message of hope to National City. It’s been you, just as much as Kara, who has inspired the city.”

Cat spun around and shook her head. Alex was oversimplifying. Supergirl’s emergence had convinced her that nothing was impossible, but she was still old, cynical, and temperamental. In some ways, she was Supergirl’s opposite. Glancing at Alex, she said, “It couldn’t possibly work, Alex. She’s my employee, for God’s sake.”

Alex responded, “That’s no reason not to try. Kara would quit in a second if your relationship complicated things at work. She loves her job, but a large part of that is because she gets to spend time with you. Cat, she would do anything for you.”

Cat sighed. “I can’t bear to hurt her.”

“Then don’t,” said Alex matter-of-factly. “This could work, Cat. Give her a chance.” She left it there, knowing that Cat would need time to absorb what she’d said. “Just think about it, okay?”

Cat shrugged noncommittally. Alex smiled at her, and left the room.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat worked on the balcony for a little while longer, and then went inside to prepare a big lunch for Kara. By now, she understood that large quantities of food would be necessary, so she made a half-dozen ham and cheese sandwiches, as well as a large bowl of pasta salad and a fruit salad. She brought the food out to Kara, who stirred when she approached.

“Kara, I brought you some lunch,” Cat said softly, not sure whether she should wake the superhero. She needn’t have worried, because at the mention of lunch, Kara was instantly alert. Cat smiled and placed the tray of food next to Kara.

“Thank you, Ms. Grant – I mean Cat,” said Kara. “I’m sorry I’ve been sleeping all day. I’m just so tired.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “You’re apologizing for being tired? Kara, you were shot. I’m just happy that you’re still breathing.”

Kara shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Ms. – Cat, I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“Kara,” Cat said firmly. “Stop apologizing.”

Rather than apologize for apologizing, Kara simply nodded and changed the subject. “How is your work going?”

“Slower than usual, without the help of my assistant,” Cat responded, and quickly cut off Kara’s next apology by holding up her hand. “I just never realized all the little things you do to help. I’ve come to depend on you.”

Kara’s face lit up with a smile. A compliment from Cat Grant was rare. Tentatively, she offered, “I’ve had an excellent mentor.”

Cat shook her head and frowned. Despite what Alex had said, she had no illusions about who she was. But Kara continued, “I mean it, Cat. I’ve learned so much from you.”

Cat stood up and walked toward the railing in an attempt to distance herself emotionally from this conversation. “Kara, you’d be exceptional regardless.” Not willing to allow this discussion to continue further, she asked, “How are you feeling, other than tired?”

“Much better,” Kara said. “The pain is more of an ache now, and the bullet wound is nearly gone. Look,” she said, lifting her shirt slightly to show Cat her side. “It’s just a red mark now.”

Don’t look, Cat thought to herself, clenching the railing with her back to the superhero. Whatever you do, don’t look. She wasn’t sure she could handle the sight of Kara’s exposed skin. “That’s good,” she said, without turning around.

Kara frowned, and pulled her shirt back down. Did Cat not even care? Just a minute ago, Cat was telling Kara she was exceptional, and now she seemed disinterested. Hesitantly, Kara asked, “Cat? Did I do something wrong?”

Cat closed her eyes without turning around. What was she doing? She shook her head in disgust. She had seen naked women before, and been attracted to people. She could be an adult about this. She could handle looking at Kara's stomach, and somehow manage to restrain herself. Cat blew out a breath, and turned around, a look of determination on her face. Walking toward where Kara was sitting, she said softly, “Let me see,” and sat down at Kara’s side on the lounge chair.

Kara glanced at Cat, a look of confusion on her face, and again lifted her shirt to display the wound. Cat bit her lower lip, forcing herself to breathe normally, and placed her hand lightly on Kara’s side. She heard Kara’s breath catch as her hand made contact with Kara’s skin, and her own heartbeat accelerated as she slowly traced her fingers along the wound. 

Cat forced herself to focus on the red blotch on Kara's side, rather than the smooth stomach and muscled abs on display in front of her. She refused to marvel at Kara's impenetrable skin, which felt impossibly soft. And she absolutely did not consider sinking her hands into soft flesh and following that path with her lips, and sliding her hands upward to caress those beautiful breasts. No, she would not entertain those thoughts. 

Cat had been staring at the path her fingers were traveling, but as they came to a stop, she lifted her eyes to look at Kara’s face. Kara’s eyes were wide, and the look in them – desire, even hunger – erased any remaining thoughts from her mind. Cat's hand remained frozen on Kara’s stomach, and the superhero covered it with her own, lacing their fingers together and squeezing. As she looked into Kara's eyes, Cat felt as if she was melting, completely powerless to resist Kara’s touch. Her heart was racing, the blood was pounding in her ears…

“Cat,” said Kara softly, “your phone.” Kara’s voice broke through Cat’s trance. Her phone was buzzing. Cat wanted to ignore it, but she knew she couldn’t. Reluctantly, she reached for the phone, and glanced at the caller id. It was Alex.

She sighed, and answered the phone.


	14. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter raises more questions than it answers. Sorry about that. And I don't know why I'm creating new plot lines when I'm trying to keep this from expanding further. But here we are. :)
> 
> I hope those of you in the viewing area enjoy tomorrow's eclipse. I won't be in the path of totality, but I still plan to observe it.
> 
> Thank you for continuing to follow this meandering story, and especially for your comments. They make it all worth it.
> 
> P.S. Sorry for ending before the note, but it seemed easier to make that the start of a new chapter.

Kara tried desperately to calm her racing heart. What had just happened? More importantly, what had almost happened? She’d seen the look in Cat’s eyes, and was sure that Cat had seen the raw desire in her own. She was no expert at relationships, but she was fairly confident that what had just happened had advanced beyond friendship.

Unfortunately, Cat was now inside, talking on the phone. Kara hated whoever had interrupted that magical moment. She longed to capture Cat’s hand again, and press her lips to each knuckle, and then pull that hand around her neck and bury herself in the arms of that amazing woman…

Kara shook her head violently. This was not helping. She needed to calm down. She heard the click of the balcony door, and when Cat reappeared, Kara could immediately see that the mood had shifted. Cat’s face was filled with concern.

“Is it Carter?” Kara asked, worried now.

Cat shook her head. “No, Kara. That was Alex. She’s going to be here in a minute. She wants to talk to you.”

Something was wrong. Kara searched Cat’s face for a hint of what was going on, but Cat simply shook her head. “Alex asked me to wait until she gets here.”

“Okay,” said Kara uneasily. The two women sat in silence while they waited for Alex to arrive. Kara stared into space, contemplating every possible disastrous event that might bring Alex to talk with her. Had something happened to Eliza? Kal El? What was going on?

When she heard the door open, Kara couldn’t stop herself from leaping to her feet. That was a big mistake. Kara hadn’t stood up since before the shooting, and she felt the world start to spin as her body tried to balance itself. As she staggered on her feet, Cat managed to catch her and sit her back down on the chair. “Easy, Kara,” she murmured, holding the superhero tightly. Kara automatically closed her eyes and rested her head on Cat’s shoulder as the world swirled around her.

She vaguely heard Alex greet Cat, and then ask if Kara was okay. “She tried to stand up,” Cat’s faraway voice explained. “She’ll be okay in a minute. She just lost her balance.”

After the spinning had slowed to a halt, Kara lifted her head from Cat’s shoulder and turned to look at Alex. Cat loosened her grip on the superhero, but kept an arm wrapped around her shoulders. Kara saw that her sister’s face was pale and worried. “Alex, what happened?” asked Kara with concern.

Alex sat down in a chair by her sister, and took Kara’s hand. “Kara, it’s Astra,” she said quietly.

Kara’s face darkened. “What did she do?” she demanded. “Who did she hurt?”

“No one, Kara,” Alex responded softly. “She was killed.”

Pain flashed across Kara’s face, mixed with anger and sadness. She sat there silently for a minute, processing this information. Eventually, she asked, “What… what happened?”

“Kara,” Alex said gently, “we think she was killed by Non.”

“What?” At that, Kara’s face displayed genuine shock. “My uncle killed her? Why would he do that?”

“There were some Kryptonese letters carved into her chest.” At Kara’s wince, she added, “We believe it was done post-mortem,” hoping that offered some small comfort. “The best English translation we can find for it is ‘traitor’.”

Kara shook her head, and tried to stand up again until Cat’s firm hold reminded her that she was in no shape to do that. “I don’t understand,” she said softly. Astra was a traitor? She’d thought that Astra was in charge of the enemy forces. When had she become a traitor to them? What had she done, and why? And if she was a traitor to Kara’s enemies, did that mean… “Was she working with us?”

Alex shook her head. “Not that we’re aware of. We don’t know what it all means.” She sighed, not wanting to ask her next question, but knowing she needed to. “Kara, had she tried to contact you lately? Is there anywhere that she might have gone to reach out to you?”

“Me? The last time I saw her, she tried to kill me. I can’t… I don’t understand any of this. Astra was working against us. You’ve made a mistake,” Kara said firmly, willing that to be true.

Alex sighed. “Kara, I know this is a lot to take in. Just think it over, and let me know if you think of anything.”

Kara shook her head. “It doesn’t make any sense. Astra was…” Kara’s voice faded. What was Astra? Her enemy? Her family? Like a second mother to her? Who was this woman? In a world where her aunt, who tried to kill her, might actually be helping them, and where a husband killed his wife… Kara didn’t know what side she was on anymore.

She buried her head in her hands, trying to shut out the world, and wishing that her own racing thoughts were so easy to avoid. Nothing made sense. What had Astra done? She heard Alex’s soft voice in the distance. “Kara, we don’t know what happened. Maybe she and Non had a disagreement. There are lots of possible explanations. I just needed to check with you, to see if you knew anything.”

Kara forced herself to focus. This couldn’t be about her right now. If Astra was actually trying to help them, this could be important. She lifted her head out of her hands and gazed at Alex. “If Astra wanted to give us a message, she would’ve come looking for me. Check my apartment. Maybe she left something there. No, wait.” She closed her eyes. “Let me go. If Astra left a message, I’ll be able to find it.”

Cat’s brows knit with worry. Kara was in no state to go wandering around her apartment, looking for clues from long-lost relatives. She met Alex’s gaze, and it was obvious that the agent shared her concerns. Still, if Astra was willing to die to pass on information, it must be important. And she knew that Kara would never forgive herself if she found Astra’s message later, when she could no longer do anything about it. She could see that Alex was reaching the same conclusions. She nodded slightly, and Alex expelled a deep breath.

“Okay, Kara,” Alex said reluctantly. “But we’ll take it slowly, and you need to be careful, okay? And of course, security goes first.”

Kara nodded grimly. She didn’t want to do this either, but she felt she had to. She felt Cat’s arms wrapping around her again, and she relaxed into the hug, closing her eyes and resting her head on Cat’s shoulder. There was something incredibly comforting about Cat’s touch. Despite the chaos in her world right now, Kara felt like she was home.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Making a face, Cat led Kara slowly away from the elevator, muttering something about germ factories. Alex rolled her eyes. “Cat, you’re fine.” As they approached the door to Kara’s apartment, Alex fished out her key, and unlocked the door. When she opened it, Cat let out a gasp.

“What?” Kara asked in alarm.

“Nothing, sorry,” Cat said, slightly embarrassed for her reaction. “That painting…” she began, pointing to the artwork balanced on an easel. “Where did you get it?”

“Oh,” said Kara, slightly embarrassed. “I, um…”

Alex smiled. “She painted it.”

“It’s a picture of my home,” Kara offered weakly. “Argo City.”

“Kara, it’s beautiful,” Cat said, transfixed.

“I know,” Kara said softly. “I miss it sometimes. The sky was so different there, more like our sunset. And the air smelled so different.” She stared at the painting for a moment and breathed in, remembering.

Cat watched Kara as she spoke, noting the woman’s faraway gaze, and tried to imagine what it would feel like to lose one’s whole world. It was unfathomable. She shook her head, and focused on the present. “Well, yes, but I meant that you’re very talented.”

“Oh,” said Kara in a small voice, embarrassed. She shrugged. “When I first came here, my head was filled with memories, and everything was so new and overwhelming. Alex gave me a sketchpad. She would sit with me and ask me questions about things I was drawing.” Kara gazed at the painting, and shrugged. “It just became a habit – now I prefer painting. It’s something I do now when I’m lonely or stressed.”

“There are more?” Cat said, in awe. Kara had yet another hidden talent. Was there anything the woman couldn’t do?

“Lots,” Kara said ruefully. “Some are back in Midvale, and there are stacks in my closet. Probably a waste of perfectly good canvas.”

Cat shook her head in astonishment. “A waste? Kara, people would pay a fortune for paintings like that.” Of course, Kara couldn’t exactly sell pictures of her alien planet. Still... “Can I see them sometime?”

Kara nodded hesitantly. “If you want.”

“I do,” responded Cat firmly. “But right now we’re looking for a message from Astra. Where do you think she would leave it?”

“Kara,” Alex interjected, “do you still have that drawing you did of Astra and Alura?”

“The one you framed for me?” Kara responded. “It’s on my dresser.”

Alex immediately walked toward Kara’s bedroom, and looked on the dresser. She pulled the drawing out of its frame, and a piece of some strange crystal fell out, along with a folded note. Cat gasped, and Kara paled. Alex held up the note. “Do you want to read it now, or should we get you home first?”

Kara sat down heavily on the bed, and took a deep breath. She needed answers. “Now.”

Alex nodded and passed her the note. Kara unfolded it carefully, and saw the beautiful Kryptonese letters. She took a deep breath, and began to read.


	15. Deciphering Myriad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late posting tonight, because I Just got home. Here's the next chapter. Not feeling great about this one, but it's the best I can do. Hope you like it.

Kara took a deep breath, and began to read:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Little One,

Since we arrived on our new planet, I have been determined to stop humans from doing the same thing to this planet that we did to Krypton. For twelve years, my army worked to develop a plan, and I firmly believed that we were doing the right thing. Perhaps some would suffer, but the planet would survive.

But then you came along, Kara. You inspired a city; indeed, a whole planet. You have given people hope, and encouraged them to do the right thing, and to believe in the seemingly impossible. And in doing that, you have changed my perspective as well.

Your actions caused me to question things that I formerly believed. I find that I no longer have the stomach for the violence and extremism that my husband favors. Our plan – Myriad – is ready to be deployed, but I am no longer convinced that it is the right course of action for this planet. This crystal contains the information you need to understand our plan. Use this knowledge to do what you believe is right. I will try to help you, but I fear that my time is limited. I am already suspected of being weak, and if Non discovers that I’ve downloaded this information, he will brand me a traitor.

I have faith in you, Little One, and I am so very proud of the hero you’ve become. You will always hold a treasured place in my heart. I look forward to seeing you again, in Rao’s light.

With much love,

Astra

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kara stared at the letter, which was blurring in front of her. Visions were swirling through her head… of Aunt Astra spending time with her on Krypton, late-night conversations with her most trusted adult friend, that horrible night when Astra had been taken into custody, her most recent meeting with the General… It was too much. She couldn’t process this new side of Astra.

She was dimly aware of the letter being taken out of her hand as tears started to fall. She cried for her old planet and her new one, for the way things used to be and the way they were now, and for the Aunt Astra that she’d lost once, and now lost again. As the tears continued to fall, Kara’s chest heaved with the pain of losing yet another person she loved. She felt Cat’s arms encircling her from behind, while Alex knelt in front of her and hugged her. The two women held her while she cried, and continued to hold her while she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

When she was finally ready to speak, Alex sat next to her on the bed and held her hand. “She knew they would kill her for this, Alex,” Kara said quietly. “She wants us to stop whatever Non has planned. That crystal has all the information.”

Alex closed her eyes and nodded. Although the note was in Kryptonese, she had suspected that it was a goodbye letter of sorts, as well as an explanation. Staring at the crystal, she said, “We need to figure out what Non is planning. How do you use this thing?”

“It will probably only respond to my touch,” Kara said. “Let me see.”

Alex held out the crystal. Kara tapped it, and the crystal sprang to life, projecting tables and screens full of data into the air of her apartment. When Kara tapped it again, the images faded into darkness. “Wow,” Cat murmured.

Alex nodded. “Kryptonian science is way ahead of ours. Kara, we need to get this to the DEO.”

“I know,” Kara said. “You’re going to need my help deciphering it, though, particularly the Kryptonese writing.”

“Absolutely not,” Cat said emphatically. “Kara, you can barely walk. You’re in no condition to be working on this.”

“Cat,” Kara said morosely, “the letter says that Non’s army is ready to enact this plan, and it could be catastrophic. I can’t just sit around and let it happen. I have to help.”

“How about this,” Alex suggested. “We bring a couple of scientists to your place, Cat. Maybe 2 or 3 people. We can work on it in one of the guest rooms, and Kara will be around if we have questions for her.”

Cat pursed her lips and nodded slowly. She liked the idea of being able to monitor how much Kara was being asked to do. She didn’t really want scientists wandering around her home, but she would have to trust Alex to handle it. “We can try it.”

Alex smiled apologetically at Cat, knowing that this could not have been easy for the media mogul. She was invading Cat’s sanctuary, and she would have to do the best she could to minimize the disruption. She knew that Cat was making this concession for Kara, and it melted her heart.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Alex, when you said scientists, you didn’t mention that your mother would be one of them.” Cat was anxiously pacing the front hallway.

Alex watched Cat with amusement. “What difference does it make?” she asked, trying not to smile.

“I don’t want your mother to think I’m taking advantage of Kara. She might think there’s something between us, even though there isn’t.”

Alex grinned and shook her head. “First of all, Cat, there is definitely something going on between you two, even if neither of you is ready to admit it. But don’t worry. My mom will love you.”

The doorbell rang, and Cat froze. Alex rolled her eyes and stepped forward to open the door. “Alex!” Eliza exclaimed, hugging her daughter fiercely.

“Hi Mom,” Alex responded, smiling and leaning into the hug. She was surprised at how relieved she felt that her mother was there. They’d never had a chance to work together, but she knew that if there was anyone on the planet who knew more about Kryptonians than she did, it was her mother. Together, they would be able to decipher this plan.

When the two finished hugging, Alex stepped back and introduced her mom to Cat Grant. Eliza’s eyes lit up. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Oblivious to Cat’s reticence, Eliza stepped forward and hugged her. She continued, “Thank you for taking care of Kara. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.” 

Cat looked slightly uncomfortable, but she smiled politely and said, “Of course. Kara is very important to me.”

Eliza laughed. “Yes, she does tend to worm her way into everyone’s hearts. She’s really attached to you.”

“I… Excuse me?” Cat was taken aback by Eliza’s frank declaration, and had no idea how to respond.

“Ms. Grant, I’ve been hearing about you for years, but lately Kara can’t seem to talk about anything else. Either she has an unhealthy obsession with you, or the two of you have gotten very close. I certainly hope it’s the latter.”

“There’s not - I don’t think – Maybe you don’t –“ Cat couldn’t seem to finish a sentence.

As much as it amused Alex to see the normally unflappable Cat Grant stumbling for words, she decided that the woman had suffered enough for today. “Mom, you’re embarrassing her. Come on. Let’s say hello to Kara, and then I’ll show you what we’re working on. Winn is already here.” She led Eliza away, sending an apologetic look over her shoulder as she left.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After a short visit with Kara, Alex and Eliza retreated to their makeshift lab. Winn was already there, having been called by Alex to help with data analysis. They spent hours huddled over their computers, working to make sense of the data contained in the crystal. Kara had shown them how to transfer the information to a hard drive, and had periodically been asked for translations.

Cat hovered over Kara like a mother hen, glaring at anyone who dared to ask her questions. Winn, in fact, had completely given up asking, preferring to stay hidden behind his computer. Alex and Eliza found it amusing. In fact, Eliza began inventing questions for Kara until Alex finally told her to give Cat a break.

“It’s just so fascinating,” Eliza said by way of explanation. “I’ve never seen anyone so protective of Kara, not even you.” Alex was forced to agree. The two women were adorable.

By dinner time, they understood the scope and details of Non’s plan, and were focusing on ways to stop Myriad. They were embroiled in a heated discussion about Max Lord’s satellites when Cat knocked at the doorway. “The three of you need to take a break for dinner. An hour away from this room will do you good. I made lasagna, which will be done in –“ she looked at her watch – “eight minutes.” Without waiting for an answer, she spun around and headed for the kitchen.

There was a moment of silence before Winn’s stunned voice blurted out, “Cat Grant cooks?”

Alex laughed. “There’s a lot about Cat Grant that the public doesn’t know. Don’t worry, Winn, she won’t poison you. She’s actually a great cook.”

Eliza laughed. “Well, that settles it. Kara needs to marry this woman.”


	16. Developing a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,  
> This chapter is kind of short, but I felt like it should end where it did, so here we go. It also didn't come out as well as I wanted, but life goes on. Oh well.
> 
> I won't have time to write for a day or so, so no updates tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks to all of you who help me keep going with your comments. I appreciate every one of them.

When Alex, Eliza, and Winn emerged for dinner, the living room table was filled with lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and two large homemade apple pies for dessert. Alex told Cat that it all looked delicious, and Eliza marveled at the pies, which looked better than her own. Winn was speechless.

Winn, after all, had experienced a whirlwind afternoon. When Alex explained that they needed his help, he was happy to oblige, but he’d had no idea that Cat Grant would be involved, or that she knew Kara’s secret. Now, he was being exposed to a side of his boss that no one ever saw, and he had no idea what to make of it. Nor did he have any idea what was going on between Cat and Kara, although it was obvious that there was something there. Although Winn was nervous about eating at a table with Cat Grant, he had to admit that the food looked and smelled fantastic.

Once they started to eat, Kara took the opportunity to badger the three scientists with questions about their discoveries. “Whoa, Kara, slow down and let me talk,” Alex said.  She summarized what they knew, explaining that the Myriad plan would use Max Lord’s own satellites to emit a frequency that would control the minds of all humans within range.

When she had finished, Cat was staring at Alex, her expression skeptical. “This sounds like a science-fiction novel.”

Alex sighed. “Cat, I wish it was. This is real. Winn has run some simulations, and as far as we can tell, it works.”

Kara frowned. “So what are we going to do about it?”

“There are a few approaches we can take,” Eliza responded. “First, we can try to block the signal from reaching Max Lord’s satellites. We would either need to enlist his help, and hope he agrees, or hack into his systems.”

Kara shook her head. “We can’t get Max Lord involved. Who knows how he would use that information.” She shivered, thinking of what he’d done to those women in one of his warped science experiments.

Alex nodded. “I agree. If we go that route, we’ll have to do it without him knowing.”

“The second option,” Eliza continued, “is to create earplugs specially tailored to block out that frequency.”

“But that’s not realistic,” Cat argued. “We can’t mass-produce millions of those.”

“Right,” Eliza confirmed. “We could make a few pairs, just to buy us time, but that’s a last resort. There’s a third option, but it’s probably the most challenging. We’d have to stop the signal from its source.”

“Fort Rozz,” Alex said darkly. “We’d have to go after Non, who is probably expecting us.”

“I’m working on the first option,” Winn offered. “Max Lord’s security is amazing. Top of the line. But I think I’ve found a way into his system.” Suddenly realizing that he was speaking in front of Cat Grant, he stopped talking and lowered his eyes.

Kara smiled. “Winn, you’re a genius.”

Alex added, “I need to talk to Hank about the possibility of a military operation. He’s supposed to call me later.”

Kara’s eyes narrowed. “I want to go. I want Non.”

Eliza, Alex, Cat, and Winn all stared at her in disbelief. Cat was the first to recover. Incredulously, she asked, “What are you going to do, run him over with your wheelchair?” She glared at Kara, as if daring her to respond. Eliza barely managed to stifle a laugh at Cat’s response.

Alex wanted to pile on, but chose the diplomatic route. “Prove to me that your powers are back, and we’ll talk.”

Kara frowned, but didn’t bother trying to argue. She was far outnumbered. Instead, she reached for another helping of lasagna, hoping the food would help her to recover. Even if it didn’t, she still wanted more. This was the best lasagna she’d ever tasted.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After dinner, the scientists went back to work, and Cat brought Kara to her room to get ready for bed. Kara initially suggested that she should stay awake in case she was needed, but Cat’s glare shut down that conversation immediately. Kara sighed and acquiesced, heading into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth.

When Kara emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of pink pajamas with pictures of ice cream cones, Cat shook her head in bemusement. “If only National City could see you now, Supergirl,” she murmured, smiling.

Kara looked down at her pajamas, as if noticing them for the first time, and flushed. “What? They’re comfortable.”

“Kara, relax,” Cat answered. “I’m just teasing. Are you ready for bed?”

Kara nodded, suddenly feeling awkward.

“Well then, get in,” Cat ordered, and watched Kara climb into the bed. She hesitated, knowing that she should leave, but not quite ready to go. Instead, she sat on the bed at Kara’s side. “You seem like you’re feeling a little better,” she observed.

Kara nodded. “I’m feeling almost normal; just tired. Powers are even starting to return.” She floated a couple of inches in the air. “See?”

Cat grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled, as if to stop Kara from floating. “Kara, don’t exert yourself,” she scolded.

Kara sank back down onto the bed, smiling. “I’m not exerting myself. It doesn’t really feel like effort. I just think about it, and it happens.”

“Still,” Cat said crossly, not really sure why she was so annoyed. “You need to rest.”

“Resting is all I’ve been doing,” Kara pointed out. “And you,” she continued, grasping Cat’s hand,” have been watching me like a hawk, so you know that.” She pulled the hand closer, and squeezed it. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

Cat knew she should let go of Kara’s hand, get up from the bed, and leave the room. But she was frozen in place, powerless to resist the warmth and tenderness in the young woman’s eyes. “Kara,” she responded softly, “I care about you.” Before she could stop herself, she leaned down and lightly kissed Kara’s cheek.

When Cat’s lips made contact with her skin, Kara inhaled sharply, and she could’ve sworn her heart skipped a beat. The sensation was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, and she felt like her whole face was tingling. Cat Grant had kissed her.  Kara struggled to control her suddenly racing heart.

The moment was over all too soon, and Cat pulled away, standing up beside the bed. Gazing fondly at the young superhero, Cat murmured, “Sleep well, Kara,” and turned out the light.  Kara closed her eyes, smiling, and quickly fell asleep. 

 

Cat remained in the doorway for several minutes, watching the young woman sleep, and wondering what she had gotten herself, and Kara, into.


	17. Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back...
> 
> Rewrote a few things in the first 17 chapters, so I'm posting it again for now. Another chapter coming up shortly. I want to try to finish this story someday soon.
> 
> Hope you all are well, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, even if there's not a ton of plot. Action returns in the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you all for your continued support in this ever-lengthening story... :)

An hour later, Alex glanced behind her to see Cat Grant standing in the doorway, watching the three of them work. She smiled at the older woman, and beckoned her into the room. Cat pulled up a chair next to Alex. “How’s it going?” the older woman asked.

Alex shrugged. “Winn is making major progress on Max Lord’s servers. I think that’s going to be our best option. It’s easier than trying to defeat Non without a healthy Supergirl.” She frowned. “Of course, if this fails, Non will probably come after us. I’m hoping we’ll have Kara’s help by then.”

Cat sighed, frowning. “Can’t you do this without her?”

“We can try,” Alex responded. “But I’d rather not have to.”

Cat shook her head. It was time to put a stop to this. “Alex, we can’t keep putting Kara in danger,” she said emphatically.

Hearing that, Eliza looked up and smiled sympathetically at the media mogul. Cat Grant was not used to feeling vulnerable; yet she suddenly found herself in a relationship with Supergirl. It was no surprise that she was feeling powerless. She needed to acknowledge that some risk was inevitable. “Cat,” Eliza said, “do you honestly think you can keep Kara from being Supergirl?”

“Of course not,” Cat responded. “I just don’t think she always needs to be first in line.”

“But Cat,” Alex argued, “that’s exactly what being Supergirl means to Kara. She puts herself in danger so that others won’t have to. And yeah, she has superpowers and can do lots of things that normal people can’t, but she’s always willing to risk her own life to save others. That’s what really makes her a hero. You know that already. So what’s really going on?”

Cat sat in silence for a minute. Alex had become convinced that the older woman was not going to answer her question, when Cat finally said softly, “I can’t lose her.”

Alex nodded, understanding completely. “None of us can, Cat. That’s why we work so hard to help her.”

Cat nodded silently, processing that. Then she responded, “All right. What can I do?”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The following morning was Monday. Cat needed to go into work, having done as much as she could at home over the weekend. Winn had been given permission to work with Eliza and Alex for as long as they needed, rather than coming to Catco. The three scientists would continue to use Cat’s guest room, since all of their equipment was set up there. And in what Cat saw as a good sign, Kara was feeling good enough that she complained bitterly at being kept home, particularly since Cat’s stalker was still on the loose.

Cat promised to use every precaution, and to trust her security detail to keep her safe. However, Kara still felt uneasy enough that when Cat left, she stood on the balcony and watched Cat’s entire trip to work, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. Fortunately, the trip was uneventful.

Kara spent the morning on the balcony. Initially, she tried to help the scientists, but Alex barred her from even entering the room. “We’ll talk tonight, Kara,” Alex offered. “Spend a day resting, and then we’ll see how you feel.” Kara sighed and nodded.

A couple of hours later, Alex heard a commotion on the balcony, and ran out to investigate. Eliza and Winn looked up in confusion as she left the room, and then stood up to find out what was going on. When Alex reached the balcony, Non was standing there. She automatically reached for her gun before remembering that it was safely holstered in her bag. Cursing, she ran over to where Kara was standing, and grabbed her sister’s hand, glaring at Non.

“You killed Astra!” Kara spat at him, her eyes filled with hatred.

“A regrettable necessity,” Non said, showing no remorse. “Traitors to the cause must be punished. My wife turned against her own army, and had to be stopped.”

“Your plan is going to kill people, and she didn’t want that to happen! That’s not being a traitor. That’s having a conscience,” Kara said fiercely. “Something you wouldn’t understand!”

“Oh, please,” Non spat. “Humans are a plague upon this planet.” He looked at Alex with disgust, as if she were nothing but a fly, and then turned his attention back to Kara. “My plan will allow them to become something greater than themselves, a positive force for change. I’m doing them a favor, really. Unfortunately, Astra had become weak, and couldn’t do what needed to be done.” He took a step toward Kara. “There is still time for you, you know. It was Astra’s greatest hope that you would join our cause.”

“You don’t get to speak about what Astra wanted! You’re a murderer, and I will never be on your side!” Kara inhaled sharply, preparing to use her heat vision to attack Non, until Alex grabbed her shoulders and spun her around.

“No, Kara,” Alex said quietly but firmly. “Not today.” Winn and Eliza appeared at the doorway, looking at Kara and Alex with concern.

“I’ll be seeing you soon,” Non said, smiling cruelly and glancing at Alex again. “Maybe when there are no humans left for companionship, you’ll be more open to reason.” Mockingly, he added, “Little One.”

Kara clenched her hands into fists and forced herself not to follow as he flew off into the distance. She wanted Non to pay for what he’d done. Over the roaring in her ears, she heard Alex, Eliza, and Winn talking to her, trying to calm her down. “Kara,” Alex said, “what we need to do is stop his plan. Going after him now isn’t the answer. You know that.”

Kara nodded dimly and sank back down onto the lounge chair. She buried her head in her hands, trying to slow her racing heart, while Alex sat next to her and rubbed her back. Alex gestured to Eliza and Winn, indicating that she wanted some time alone with Kara, and they left. She didn’t think Kara needed an audience right now.

Eventually Kara felt calm enough to lift her head and look at Alex. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I was just so angry.”

Alex nodded. “Of course you were, Kara. It’s okay. We’re going to get him together. I promise.” She wrapped her arms around her sister. “El Mayara,” she murmured. Then she simply held Kara for a while.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, Cat came rushing into the apartment. She ran out to the balcony and was relieved to see Alex and Kara, apparently unharmed. “Kara,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion, and rushed forward.

Alex looked up in surprise, and smiled at Cat. She squeezed Kara’s hand, stood up, and murmured that she’d be inside if Kara needed anything. Cat immediately took Alex’s place on the chair, and wrapped her arms tightly around Kara.

“Cat…?” Kara murmured in confusion. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at work?”

“Winn called me,” Cat said, smiling weakly as she remembered the stammering computer geek’s attempt at conversation. “When he finally managed to form words, he told me that Non had been here. He said you were fine, but I… I had to see for myself.”

“Winn?  Winn called you?” Kara was incredulous. “He must have been terrified.”

Cat laughed. “Terrified is an understatement. I have to give him credit, though; I didn’t think he had it in him.”

Kara smiled. “He’s stronger than he looks.”

“Clearly,” Cat said drily.

“But Cat, you didn’t have to come. I’m fine. I got angry, but Alex calmed me down.”

“I know, Kara,” Cat said, frowning. “I probably shouldn’t have come, but when I heard that Non was here, I just couldn't... I needed to check on you.” She fidgeted, suddenly uncomfortable. Why was she here? What was she doing? She began to unwrap her arms from Kara, angry with herself for being so weak.  She needed to give the girl some space.

“Cat..." Kara said softly, grabbing the older woman's arm to stop her from pulling away. "I’m glad you’re here,” she said sincerely. She wrapped her arms tightly around Cat, and rested her head on Cat’s shoulder. She was touched by the woman's concern, and the hug felt incredibly comforting.  She didn't want to let go. She felt Cat relax into the hug, and the two women held each other silently for a while. Then Cat smiled and stood up. “As much as I’d love to stay here, I really should be at work right now.” She winced. “I left in the middle of a meeting. They must be really confused.”

Kara’s heart melted at the thought that Cat had run out of the building to check on Kara.  “She really cares about me,” mused the superhero silently.  She had spent the morning debating the meaning of Cat’s kiss last night – was it purely friendly, or more than that?  The older woman’s actions this morning seemed to indicate that it was more than friendship.  Maybe Alex was right after all.

She set those thoughts aside for the moment, though.  Kara was convinced she was fully recovered, and she simply couldn’t handle being forced to rest any longer.  “Cat,” Kara said, her voice pleading. “Can I come with you? I really can’t sit here anymore. I’m fine. I feel great. I really just want to do something other than lie here like an invalid.” Plus, she suspected that Cat hadn’t been particularly careful at avoiding her stalker when she was rushing home, but she kept that thought to herself.

Cat rolled her eyes. “Kara, you really don’t understand what resting means.”

“Cat, I can’t rest anymore. I’m going crazy sitting here. Please.”

Cat was beginning to think she was going soft, when it came to a certain blond superhero. But she couldn’t stand to say no to Kara, not right now, when she wanted so badly to be near the younger woman. She sighed. “Fine,” she said reluctantly. “There are only a few hours left in the day. But no exerting yourself, and no leaving the office.”

Kara’s whole face lit up. “Thank you!”

“Don’t make me regret this,” Cat warned half-heartedly. But she already knew that she could regret nothing, when it came to Kara. She was all in, for better or worse.


	18. Return to Action

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the first "new" chapter. Hoping to wrap this up within a few more chapters. Did the best I could to pick up the action.
> 
> Hope you're all doing well. Thanks for reading, and for any comments or suggestions that you provide!

By mid-afternoon, Cat was wondering how she’d ever functioned without having Kara as her assistant.  Her recent CatCo experiences without Kara had made her realize just how much more she could accomplish when her exceptional assistant filtered out all of the unnecessary distractions.  So far, Kara had stuck to her end of the bargain, refraining from running errands or leaving the office, and Cat had been left alone to run the company, without interruptions from incompetent employees.  It was eye-opening, and it made her realize just how much more than an assistant Kara had become.

If she was completely honest with herself, it was also difficult to concentrate with the gorgeous woman sitting just a few feet away.  Now that she knew how addicting Kara’s touch could be, it was hard not to think about wrapping her arms back around the superhero, kissing the woman’s cheek, or even meeting Kara’s lips with her own.  God, she could lose herself so easily in Kara’s arms.  She needed to keep those dangerous thoughts out of her head.

At that moment, Kara glanced up and met Cat’s gaze.  The younger woman smiled, her eyes filled with warmth and tenderness, before looking back down at the papers in front of her.  Cat’s heart leapt, and then she sighed, cursing herself for being so completely enamored.  She shook her head, and got back to work. 

The shift in their relationship was subtle.  No one else would have noticed any difference in the dynamics between them.  Cat still insisted on calling her Kiera and refused to coddle her, and Kara was helpful and deferential to her boss’s demands.  Kara did observe, however, that Cat seemed more inclined to trust Kara’s judgment.  If Kara thought something was important enough to interrupt her boss, Cat would stop what she was doing and give Kara her attention, without any anger or sarcastic remarks.  When Kara added a meeting to her schedule, Cat waited for her to explain the purpose of the meeting, rather than snapping at her assistant.  The changes were noticeable only to Cat and Kara, but they were there. 

At the end of the day, Cat insisted on leaving right at 6:00.  Kara frowned, knowing that her boss would have stayed later if Kara hadn’t been there, but she didn’t argue.  Cat had allowed her to come to work, after all.  That in itself was a major concession. 

Kara alerted the DEO personnel to perform their usual sweep of the area before Cat left the building.  No one had spotted her stalker in the last few days, but Kara was not taking any chances.  When they signaled that the coast was clear, she nodded to Cat, and the two women headed for their separate elevators – Kara the public one, and Cat her private elevator.  When they reached the lobby, Kara hurried to catch up with Cat, and she followed the older woman through the doors, toward the car.

Suddenly, Kara tensed, and seconds later an ambulance came roaring by, turning on its sirens.  Appearances forgotten, Cat turned and grabbed Kara’s hand.  “Don’t you dare,” she warned quietly. 

Kara’s eyes had been focused in the direction of the ambulance.  At her boss’s words, however, she shifted her gaze to Cat.  The older woman could see the misery in Kara’s eyes, but the superhero didn’t say a word.  She simply nodded and began walking toward the car, eyes lowered. 

Cat sighed.  She was being overprotective, and it wasn’t fair to Kara.  “Wait,” she said reluctantly.  When Kara paused, Cat asked, “Are you fully recovered?  Can you help without hurting yourself?”

Kara nodded, then said quietly, “Major car accident.  A couple of people are trapped, and they also need to clear the road.  They could use my help.” 

Cat closed her eyes briefly.  “Go,” she said softly.  “But Kara?  Take care of yourself.”

Kara squeezed her hand, and then disappeared around the corner.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Cat monitored the coverage of the accident during her ride home.  Kara managed to free two trapped passengers by pulling the roof off of a car, and helped emergency personnel to remove them from the vehicle.  After all passengers had been safely transported onto gurneys, she began to lift cars out of the road, transporting them into the breakdown lane so that police could re-open the roadway. 

Cat was relieved to see that Kara was not in danger, but she felt unsettled by her own reaction to the situation.  She had to get a hold of herself.  She couldn’t panic every time Kara went to help others.  She could see that Kara could handle the situation, and she knew that Supergirl could do just about anything.  She simply wasn’t used to caring so much about Kara.  Cat was a woman used to being in control, and here she was reduced to sitting on the sidelines.  She would need time to adjust.

Lost in thought, she stepped out of the vehicle, oblivious to the world around her.  As her heel hit the pavement, she saw a flash from far above her, and heard a gunshot.  She dove back into the car, heart racing, slammed the door behind her, and curled into the fetal position.  Shouts filled the air around her, but she couldn’t focus on any of the words.  Suddenly, the door in front of her was yanked open, and she found herself enveloped in the arms of Supergirl. 

“Breathe, Cat,” murmured Kara.  “It’s okay.  Alex took care of it.  You’re safe now.”  Kara’s last comment was more to reassure herself than the older woman.  She’d been so focused on her own rescue that she hadn’t been watching Cat, but she’d had the foresight to call Alex and ask the agent to survey the area around Cat’s apartment, just in case.  There was no one she trusted more to defend Cat. 

When Kara heard a gunshot, she’d immediately thought of Cat, and spun around in time to see the older woman dive back into her car.  Kara had never flown faster in her life.  As she approached the area, she saw a man lying motionless on a nearby rooftop, while Alex held a gun on Cat’s balcony.  It wasn’t hard to discern what had happened.  Alex had done what was necessary to protect Cat.

She lifted Cat from the back seat and flew her quickly toward the balcony, where Alex was standing.  Without stopping, she flew through the balcony door and placed Cat on the living room sofa.  She kept her arms around Cat, and continued to hold the older woman, murmuring soft reassurances. 

Alex followed Kara inside, having determined that the shooter no longer posed any threat.  DEO agents would check on the gunman, but she was fairly certain that he hadn’t survived the encounter. 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Who was he?” Kara demanded when Hank entered her apartment an hour later. 

Hank looked at Cat.  “Does the name Tom Randall ring a bell?” he inquired.

Cat shook her head, mystified.

Hank explained, “Maybe you’ll remember him better as Mike Randall.  He now goes by his middle name, perhaps to avoid notoriety.”  He saw understanding dawn on Cat’s face as he continued, “For the last twelve years, he’s been in jail.  He was convicted of murdering his wife, after an investigative journalist cracked the case.  Sound familiar?” 

Cat shook her head sadly.  “Didn’t he get twenty-five to life?” 

Hank nodded, frowning.  “Apparently he was let out early for good behavior.  And I guess he decided to utilize his military sniper training.” 

Kara was pacing angrily.  “So they just let him walk? It didn’t occur to them that he would try to seek revenge?  How could they do that?”

“Kara,” Cat said calmly, “the prison system doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to.” 

Kara shook her head angrily.  “No.  That’s ridiculous.  This kind of thing can’t happen.”  Her fists were clenched and her eyes flashed with anger.  She couldn’t accept that the system had failed Cat, putting her in danger.  “What if I hadn’t been there?  What if Alex hadn’t seen him?  Cat, he could have killed you!”

Cat stood up and grabbed Kara’s hands, stopping her from continuing her angry tirade.  After a moment, Kara’s fists uncurled, and she grasped Cat’s hands like a lifeline. Cat slowly pulled the superhero into her arms, and hugged her tightly.  “Shh, Kara,” she murmured.  “It’s okay.  I’m all right.” 

Kara expelled a large breath, and nodded slightly.  She closed her eyes and took a few more deep breaths.  Wrapping her arms around the older woman, she relaxed into Cat’s embrace.  Quietly, she murmured, “Cat, I can’t lose you.  What if…  I can’t believe I wasn’t there, and something could’ve happened to you.”

“I know, Kara,” Cat said softly.  “I’m right here.”  She pulled back from the hug, and looked into Kara’s eyes.  “You can’t always be here to protect me, just like I can’t stop you from rushing into danger.  You need to trust me.” 

Kara nodded slowly, frowning.  “I do trust you, Cat.  I just…”  She sighed, and then said in a small voice, “Cat, I can’t lose you.” 

“I know, Kara.  I can’t lose you either.”

Alex watched the two women interact, fighting a smile.  It was about damn time they started being honest with each other.  She made eye contact with her mother, who quickly turned around to hide her own smile.  “Alex, we have work to do,” she offered, and they left the room to allow the two women some time alone.


	19. Myriad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another chapter. Decided to give the Myriad story a little bit of a twist, although the science behind the waves is a little questionable. :)
> 
> I really appreciate all of the encouragement and support. Honestly, it's what keeps me going, so thank you. As always, comments are more than welcome!
> 
> Oh... also, greenfanfic304, I modified the chapter slightly for you, because I've been dragging it out long enough. Hope you like it.

Cat surveyed the suddenly empty room, noting with some amusement that the others had quickly evacuated to give her time alone with Kara.  Unfortunately, it was time to inject a dose of reality into the situation.  Cat took the superhero’s hand, and guided her over to the couch, keeping their hands clasped together as the two women sat down.  “Kara,” she began softly, “we need to talk.”

Kara looked into Cat’s eyes, searching for some clue of what she was about to say.  Kara was fairly certain that Cat had feelings for her, but she suspected that the older woman would discourage any thought of a relationship between them.  Her heart sank at Cat’s next words: “This–” she gestured between Kara and herself – “whatever this is, it’s probably not a good idea.”

The superhero ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach, and instead recalled the memories of Cat’s lips on her cheek, and Cat’s hand on her stomach, tracing the bullet wound.  She remembered the looks they’d exchanged, and the words that had been spoken: “I can’t lose you.”  She focused on what she knew was real.

She looped her arms around Cat’s neck and tugged gently, pulling the older woman’s lips toward her own.  Two mouths merged gently together, and then sank into each other.  Kara poured her heart into the kiss, channeling the passion that she had yet to express in words.

Cat responded by pulling Kara closer, and the two deepened the kiss, pressing their bodies against each other while their mouths continued to explore. The kisses were gentle and slow, but filled with the promise of so much more. When their lips finally parted, each woman needed a moment to recover.

“Wow,” Kara finally breathed.  “Cat…” She was not going to let the older woman talk her way out of this one. She felt like she’d been waiting forever for this moment, and she wasn’t willing to forget that it happened. “We’ve both been fighting against this for a long time, and look at us. Can’t you see how right this is?  Don’t tell me this isn’t what you want. I’ve seen the way you look at me. I don’t care if I’m your employee. I’ll quit right now if that’s what it takes.”  She sighed, then continued, “Please, Cat, give us a chance.”

Cat smiled, and then responded, “Kara, you didn’t let me finish.  I was going to tell you that I’m not sure this is a good idea, but I can’t fight it anymore.”  She watched as Kara’s face filled with a mixture of relief and elation, and then leaned forward to kiss the superhero again.  The two women wrapped their arms around each other and sank into the cushions.  When they finally parted, Cat laid her head on Kara’s shoulder and curled against her on the couch.  They lay there together, wrapped in each other’s arms, for a long time.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

That evening, they discussed the status of Myriad.  Winn, Alex, and Eliza thought they were ready to combat Non’s signal, if and when it came.  Still, they couldn’t be sure.  “I think it’ll work,” Winn asserted, “but I guess we’ll find out when it happens.”

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll find Non and stop it myself,” Kara said grimly.

Alex saw Cat tense, and quickly responded, “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Kara sighed.  “Alex, you know if this plan fails, he’s just going to try something else.  We need to stop him.  *I* need to stop him.”

“You may be right,” Alex said, “but that’s something we’ll do together.  Stronger together, Kara, remember?”

Kara sighed and nodded.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Winn carefully monitored Max Lord’s satellites that evening, and saw that even though Non was attempting to send a signal, the software they had created was blocking that signal from being transmitted.  His shoulders sagged with relief.  It was working.

“So now what?” Kara asked.  “What will he do, now that he knows Myriad is failing?  Do we just have to wait until he has another idea?”  She shook her head, pacing and clenching her fists.  “We need to stop him for good.  We have to do something.”

The computer in front of Winn triggered an alarm. He glanced up anxiously, stared at the screen for a moment, and paled.

“Winn, what is it?” asked Alex anxiously.

For a moment, Winn continued to study the screen intently.  Shaking his head, he murmured, “Well, I guess we didn’t have to wait long.”  He turned to Alex, Kara, and Eliza, took a deep breath, and explained, “Max Lord’s satellites can only broadcast signals of certain frequencies, so I wrote software that blocks waves within those frequencies.  It’s working.  Max’s satellites will be useless to Myriad.” 

He blew out a breath.  “What we didn’t consider is that Fort Rozz itself has the power to emit certain high-frequency waves. Non has been steadily increasing the frequency and intensity of these waves, using the prison’s power to broadcast his signal.”  Winn gulped.  “It looks like he’s planning to keep increasing the frequency.  Eventually, it’ll reach a point that no human can tolerate.  Our heads will literally explode.”

“Is there any way to stop these waves?” Alex said nervously.

Winn shook his head.  “I can’t hack into Fort Rozz’s system – not quickly enough, in any case.  We don’t have much time.” 

Cat frowned, and asked, “How long do we have?”

He shrugged miserably. “An hour?  Maybe two?”

“So… we’re all doomed; is that what you’re saying?” Cat said bluntly.

Winn nodded.  “It doesn’t look good.”  He turned toward the computer, and added, “I’ll do what I can, but it’s unlikely to work.”He began to type frantically, and Eliza bent over his shoulder to read the numbers on the screen.  She nodded in agreement, and sat down to work alongside him.

“We need to attack Fort Rozz,” Alex said grimly.  “Kara,” she said without turning, “take me to the DEO.  Let’s get a team together, and head out there.”

Kara nodded.  The group determined that Eliza and Winn would stay there, working on their computers, while Kara brought Alex to the base.

“I’m coming too,” Cat declared, ignoring the skeptical glances of Kara and Alex.  “We need all the people we can get working on this right now.  I’m not just going to sit here and watch these two–“ she pointed at Winn and Eliza – “do whatever it is they’re doing.  I want to help.”

Alex nodded reluctantly.  “It can’t hurt.” 

Kara turned toward the group, eyes blazing. ”We’re going to stop him.  I won’t let him –“ Her voice broke, and she whispered, “I can’t lose another planet.”  She kissed Eliza on the cheek, hugged Winn, and then grabbed Cat and Alex, and flew them away.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hank stared at the screen, frowning.  “We have to stop the signal from the source,” he concluded.

Kara nodded in agreement.  “I’ll go.”

“Take me with you,” Hank said.  “I can help you.”

“Me too,” Alex said firmly, grabbing a Kryptonite gun.

Kara acquiesced, knowing that she needed all the help she could get.  They took off, heading toward Non’s headquarters.  Cat gazed after them worriedly.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They landed next to the fallen spacecraft.  As they walked toward the entrance, Non appeared behind them, along with four other Kryptonians.  “Kara,” Non said with disgust, “are these two humans really the best allies you can find?  How pathetic.”  He turned to the other Kryptonians.  “Take the humans,” he snarled.  “Supergirl is mine.”

Non’s quartet of followers turned toward the two humans, and were stunned when one of them immediately turned into… was that a Green Martian?  In their moment of hesitation, Alex was able to fire a couple of blasts from her Kryptonite gun, and she watched in satisfaction as two Kryptonians went down.  The Martian surged forward, taking on the closest remaining enemy, and the alarmed Kryptonian tried in vain to avoid his charge. The fourth Kryptonian ducked out of the way as Alex fired another shot.

Meanwhile, Non flew straight at Supergirl, who ducked sideways and used the man’s strength against him, flinging him into the rocks behind her.  Before he could get up, Supergirl slammed into him and punched him in the face.  Non managed to grab the superhero’s neck, and began choking her, but Supergirl responded by using her heat vision, aiming for his face and hearing a horrible sizzling sound. As Non screamed in pain, Kara tossed him toward the ground and sent another blast of heat vision his way.  “You’re not taking another planet from me,” she shouted forcefully at Non.  “Stop the signal, now!”

Non laughed, a cruel and hideous sound.  “Over my dead body,” he snarled.

Kara sent another blast of heat vision, and watched him writhe in agony.  “Last chance, Non!” she shouted, wanting desperately to stop the signal without killing anyone, but he charged at her again, and she had no choice.  She threw him to the ground and sent another blast of heat vision.  This time, he did not get back up.

Kara spun around to see that Hank and Alex had taken out three of the Kryptonians.  She rushed toward the fourth, and as he braced for her attack, Alex blasted him with Kryptonite.  He, too, went down.

“Everyone okay?” Kara asked.  She was relieved to see both Hank and Alex nod, although they both looked exhausted.  “Good, then,” she responded.  “I’m going in to see if I can stop the signal.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few minutes later, Cat’s phone rang.  She saw Kara’s name on the caller id, and instantly picked up.  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Cat, I –“ Kara’s voice broke, overcome with emotion.  When she had composed herself slightly, she continued quietly. “I’m carrying Fort Rozz into space.  It’s the only way to stop the signal.”

“You’re…” Cat struggled to process what Kara was saying. “I don’t understand.  You can’t breathe in space.  You can’t fly.”

Kara took a shuddering breath, and repeated, “It’s the only way.”

“No!” Cat gasped, her voice breaking.  “You can’t do that.  Please, Kara.  I can’t… I can’t lose you.”

“Cat,” Kara responded, “I don’t have much time.  I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me.  How much I admire you, and how badly I wish that I – that I had more time with you.  Cat, I… I love y –.”  Just then, the connection crackled and died.

“No,” Cat whispered.  “No.  Please no.”  She sank to the floor and crumpled into a heap, not caring where she was, or who saw her.  She felt as if she was suffocating, and gasped for air.  Kara was sacrificing herself, for the good of humanity.  Rationally, she knew that for Kara, there was no other choice, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.  She sat there, trembling, with her head in her hands, too stunned to cry.

A woman at the console in front of her turned around and said softly, “Ma’am.”

Cat ignored her.  She couldn’t handle talking to anyone right now.

“Ma’am,” the woman said again, insistently.  Cat looked up, her eyes dull and lifeless, and idly noted the tag on the woman’s arm.  Agent Vasquez.

“Supergirl’s ship is right over there,” Vasquez said, pointing to the pod that had brought Kara to this planet.  “Do you think it still works?”  Vasquez had heard the conversation, of course, because she was monitoring Supergirl’s communications.  Right now, the glimmer of an idea was forming.

The women’s eyes met briefly, and the two of them ran over to un-shackle the ship.  Vasquez opened the ship’s door, and they were relieved to see that it looked like three people could easily fit.

As they hopped into the ship, the pod instantly came to life.  A voice said something in Kryptonese.  Cat offered weakly, “Kara is in trouble.  We need to find her.”  Instantly the voice switched to English, and announced that it was setting a course to intercept Kara.  It took off, breaking a hole in the roof and streaking toward Kara’s location.  Cat closed her eyes, and decided to keep her fear of heights to herself. 


	20. Winding Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, updating this story is kinda slow. Life keeps getting in the way of my writing. I hope you all are well.
> 
> Thanks, as always, for any comments, suggestions, or criticisms. Feedback is always welcome!

By the time the pod returned to the DEO, Hank had just arrived, accompanied by a devastated Alex Danvers. The ship shot back in through the hole it had made on the way out and settled onto the platform with a whooshing sound. Neither Hank nor Alex had noticed that the ship was missing. Now they stared at it, baffled by the sight.

When the pod’s door opened, three women were tucked into the seat – Cat, Vasquez, and an unconscious Kara. Alex froze for a moment, unable to comprehend what she was seeing, but when her brain finally processed Kara’s presence, she ran toward her sister. She shouted for someone to get a gurney, and watched as Hank lifted the superhero out of the pod. A moment later, Cat leapt out of the ship and took off after them. Hank helped Vasquez out of the pod, murmuring, “Quick thinking, Agent Vasquez.” He patted her arm awkwardly and then went to check on Kara.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kara’s eyes fluttered open, and a confused superhero murmured, “What– What happened?” Two faces swam into her vision, and she felt both hands being squeezed tightly.

Alex spoke first. “Cat saved your life,” she stated, her face a swarm of emotions. Kara’s eyes widened as Alex continued. “She and Vasquez took your pod out into space to get you.”

Kara’s head was spinning. She turned to focus on Cat, and saw the older woman’s pale face and red-rimmed eyes. Cat had… what? “You flew my spaceship?” she said, trying to make sense of the situation.

Cat nodded weakly at her, not trusting herself to speak quite yet. She was beginning to calm down, but she’d been a wreck just a few minutes ago. As they rolled Kara into the treatment area, she had paused to look at the superhero. It was at that point that the tears started to fall, and she simply stood there sobbing until Alex’s strong arms wrapped around her. She sank into the embrace, shaking and crying, as Alex spoke softly into her ear. The agent assured her that Kara would be okay, and that she had done everything right. “Cat, you saved her,” the agent said gratefully. “Thank you.”

Nonetheless, it took Cat several minutes to calm the wave of emotions. Eventually, she took some shaky breaths and composed herself, and then nodded wordlessly at Alex, who squeezed her shoulders and smiled. As Cat glanced again toward Alex, she saw the same mix of emotions swirling in the agent’s eyes. On impulse, she pulled Alex into another hug, and the other woman accepted it gratefully. They stood there comforting each other until Kara awoke a few moments later.

Kara had never seen Cat so shaken. Immediately, the superhero began to apologize for causing Cat to worry. The media mogul responded by placing a finger on Kara’s lips to silence her. Then she leaned in, captured Kara’s lips with her own, and channeled her emotions into a series of desperate kisses. She could feel her own tears falling onto Kara’s face as the superhero wrapped her arms around Cat. Neither one wanted to let go. Instead, Kara lifted Cat onto the bed to pull her closer, and the two women lay there, bodies pinned tightly together, as they continued to kiss each other passionately. Cat eventually murmured, “Damn you, Kara. I need you.”

“I need you too, Cat,” Kara said softly.

Alex cleared her throat, and motioned everyone else out of the room. These two could use a few minutes alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eventually, Supergirl and Cat emerged from the treatment area, holding hands. Upon spotting Alex, Kara ran over to her sister and wrapped her into a hug. “Alex,” she murmured, “I’m sorry I scared you.”

Alex shook her head. “Kara, don’t ever apologize for being a hero. You did what you had to do. You saved the whole human race. How can you apologize for that?” She brushed some hair out of Kara’s eyes, and then added, “I’m just so grateful that Vasquez and Cat figured out a way to save you too.” Her voice broke slightly as she admitted, “I can’t lose you, Kara. I love you.”

Kara tightened the hug, although she was careful not to crush her sister. “I love you too, Alex.”

Alex grabbed her hand and said, “Come on, Supergirl. There are a few people who want to thank you.” She led Kara and Cat toward the command center, where they were greeted by a round of applause. Hank grabbed her into a hug, followed by Agent Vasquez, and then the other DEO agents lined up to thank her and welcome her back. It was sweet, but overwhelming, and Kara was glad when it was finally over. She was ready to go home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They returned to Cat’s apartment and explained the sequence of events to Eliza and Winn. The two scientists had been told the basics, but wanted to know every detail. They were intrigued by the thought that Kara’s pod was still functional, and Alex suspected that Winn and Eliza would be visiting the DEO soon to have a look for themselves. Cat ordered a late-night snack of pizza and ice cream, and the five of them – Alex, Kara, Winn, Eliza, and even Cat – stuffed themselves full. It gave them a chance to relax and unwind, after the anxious hours they’d spend earlier.

Eventually Winn, Alex, and Eliza left to get some rest, leaving the two women alone on the couch. Cat noticed that the superhero looked exhausted. That made sense, of course, considering she’d hauled a massive object into space and nearly died in the process, and Cat chastised herself for not noticing Kara’s condition earlier. “Kara,” she said softly, “you need to get some sleep.”

Kara sighed. “I know, Cat, but I– Can we just sit here for a while?” She didn’t want to close her eyes and see Non’s face, or hear his screams of agony.

Seeing the turmoil in Kara’s eyes, Cat relented. The poor woman probably wasn’t ready to close her eyes and face the images she’d seen today. “Come here,” she said softly, pulling Kara toward her so that the young woman was spread out across the cushions with her head in Cat’s lap. To help the hero relax, Cat began running her fingers through Kara’s hair. The superhero closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the soothing sensation. Cat stared in awe at the gorgeous, powerful woman lying in front of her. How could she possibly be so lucky? Kara wanted her. This woman could have anyone, but she wanted Cat. It was impossible to understand, yet here they were.

Cat shivered at the memory of almost losing the younger woman today. Kara was so selfless, willing to sacrifice her own well-being – even her own life – for others. She was the living personification of all that was good in the world, in marked contrast to Cat’s petulance and selfishness. What could the young woman possibly see in her? She sighed, and Kara looked up at her quizzically. “Kara…” she murmured, suddenly uncomfortable, “you deserve so much better than me.”

Kara’s eyes opened, and she gazed at Cat. “Better than you?” Kara responded, incredulous. “How could I possibly…” She trailed off, looking at Cat, thinking about what the woman had said. Cat was feeling insecure. It wasn’t often that the older woman admitted that, so Kara knew this was a rare opportunity. She sat up, turned toward the older woman, and said, “Cat, I’ve spent my whole life admiring you. And the closer I get to you, the more you amaze me. You fight so hard for what you believe in. You’ve developed this persona that makes people think you don’t care, but you do, more than most people will ever know. You don’t have superpowers, but you do more to help people than I ever could, and you never take the credit for it. You’ve been an incredible mentor to me, and everything that Supergirl does right is a tribute to your guidance.”

She looked into the older woman’s eyes for a moment, and continued, “You are my hero, Cat.” Kara placed one hand on the woman’s cheek, cupped her face, and pulled Cat’s head toward her own. She placed a soft kiss on Cat’s lips, and then whispered, “You’re the only one I want.”

Cat’s heart melted at Kara’s declaration. She surged forward and kissed Kara passionately, trying to convey her thoughts without words. Kara believed in her. The young woman’s description of her was idealistic, yet accurate, in that Kara saw her as the person that Cat aspired to be. Cat vowed to become that person, and to do her best to be worthy of the love that Kara had for her. She stretched out next to Kara on the couch, and curled her body into the superhero.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Within a few minutes, Kara had fallen fast asleep. Cat considered waking her up and tucking her into bed, but she decided to leave Kara in peace. She grabbed a blanket from the closet, tucked it carefully around the hero, and then kissed the young woman on the cheek. “Good night, Supergirl,” she whispered.

Cat would not be going to sleep anytime soon. So much had happened today, between catching her shooter and experiencing the Myriad situation, and Cat was one of the few people who knew the whole story behind Kara’s adventure. She was a journalist, after all, and these were stories she needed to write. She settled onto the other couch with her laptop and began typing.


	21. Appearance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the slow progress on this fic. Life keeps getting in the way. I had some medical issues this week, and have been pretty busy as well. I'm trying to keep going, even if it's just a little at a time.
> 
> Thank you all for the encouragement and comments. I really do appreciate every one.

By the time the sun rose, Cat had submitted her Myriad article for printing and alerted CatCo’s morning news program to the story. She would be doing a live interview in a couple of hours. She was exhausted, but proud of the article she’d written. It was one of her finest pieces of journalism.

Cat had begun by explaining that the headaches people experienced yesterday were triggered by high-frequency waves, which had been broadcast by a group of hostile aliens. These aliens were attempting to murder the entire human race, and had come very close to succeeding in that endeavor. She described Supergirl’s heroics in defeating the aliens, and the subsequent decision the hero had made to sacrifice her own life by carrying the alien ship out into space. Finally, she explained that an anonymous government agent had acted quickly to retrieve Supergirl from space, saving her life. (She intentionally left that part of the story vague, not wanting to reveal DEO secrets, such as the existence of Kara’s pod.

Cat knew that she had secured a once-in-a-lifetime exclusive, and that this was a moment to celebrate her triumph over the likes of Lois Lane. In the past, Cat might even have texted Lois to gloat. But something had changed in the past few hours, and her own accomplishments suddenly didn’t seem very important right now. Instead, Cat’s main focus was on telling the public how truly exceptional Supergirl was. She told the story of a woman who had lost her whole world, and volunteered to give her own life to save another one. Cat explained that this woman, who had every reason to be bitter and angry, instead held nothing but love in her heart. She wanted the world to understand that Supergirl fought for them, and had faith that humans would save the planet. She had written this article as a tribute to Kara.

They would probably say she had gone soft. Cat was known for her brutally honest, often scathing writing. She was the one who broke the scandals and called out the liars. This article, in contrast, read like a fluff piece. But Kara was extraordinary, and she didn’t regret a single word.

She smiled at the sleeping superhero, thinking about how Kara’s lips felt against her own, and the feel of those strong arms around her. Incomprehensibly, Kara wanted her, and Cat was determined not to let Kara regret that decision. Of course, the young woman might not realize what she was getting into. Carter was coming home soon, and that would certainly put a strain on their relationship. How would Kara react to having a thirteen-year-old boy hanging around? Had she even considered that?

Cat’s ruminations were interrupted when Kara suddenly stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. The superhero glanced around the room, confused, and then smiled as her eyes settled on Cat. “Hey,” she murmured, gazing warmly at Cat.

Cat smiled and walked over to place a kiss on Kara’s cheek. “Feeling better?” she inquired softly.

Kara nodded. “How did you sleep?” she asked, and then frowned, taking in Cat’s appearance. “Hold on. Did you sleep at all?” Cat was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and Kara could see the fatigue in her eyes.

Cat shook her head. “I had an article that I needed to write,” she responded. “I just finished a little while ago.”

Kara frowned, but nodded. Of course Cat would’ve had to write about yesterday’s events. She couldn’t fault the media mogul for taking advantage of this opportunity. Remembering Cat’s last article about Supergirl, Kara cringed. “I hope you weren’t too hard on me.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “You’ll be fine, Supergirl.” She would let Kara read the glowing comments for herself. The older woman stood up, and announced that she was going to get ready for work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat and Kara reached the CatCo building an hour earlier than usual. Kara went to Noonan’s to pick up their drinks while Cat took her private elevator to a virtually empty bullpen. She would need to prepare for what would undoubtedly be a very busy day. Papers were just now being distributed, and CatCo Morning News was set to go on the air in twenty minutes. She had promised the news program that she would appear within the first half hour, but she needed to organize her day first.

Just as Cat sat down, Kara arrived with two lattes in hand. She set one on her own desk, and then grabbed her tablet and delivered the other drink to her boss. Cat began dictating a lengthy list of tasks, which Kara dutifully noted. When the list was finally complete, Kara simply nodded and said, “Will there be anything else, Ms. Grant?”

“One more thing,” Cat responded quietly. “Kara, will you have lunch with me today on the balcony?”

At that, Kara smiled, a beam of radiant joy that lit up her whole face. “I’d love to, Ms. Grant. Your usual?”

Cat nodded, and shooed Kara away with a flick of the fingers. The two of them got down to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara sat at her desk, eyeing her boss’s empty office nervously. Cat had gone down to the fourteenth floor to make an appearance on the morning news, and Kara wasn’t sure what to make of it. She hadn’t yet seen the article that Cat wrote, and wasn’t sure how her boss had portrayed Supergirl in yesterday’s events. Cat was often Kara’s harshest critic, and there were many decisions to second-guess. What would the woman say?

At the sound of Cat Grant’s distinctive voice, Kara leapt to her feet and watched the media mogul glide onto the tv screen above her head. Tom Layne, the anchorman of the morning program, explained that Cat had authored the article that everyone was talking about, and outlined the basics of the Myriad situation. 

“Cat,” Tom said, “I suppose I should start by asking the obvious question. Where did you get this information? Are you sure it’s accurate?”

Cat smiled mysteriously, and responded, “Tom, you know reporters will never reveal their sources. But I can assure you that this information is one-hundred-percent accurate.”

Tom was not going to be deterred that easily. “Can we assume that one of your sources has blond hair and wears a cape?”

Cat sidestepped the question, responding, “I would certainly trust any information that Supergirl gave me, but my knowledge of this situation comes from multiple sources and my own eyewitness account.”

“So you were there?” Tom asked. “You saw the situation unfold?”

“Some of it,” Cat said, gesturing vaguely, “but I don’t think I’m here to talk about my part in this drama. I was merely a spectator.”

“No, that’s true,” Tom acknowledged. “So, according to your article, Supergirl was going to sacrifice her own life to save us?”

Cat nodded, and only a trained observer would have seen the flash of fear that briefly flickered across her face. She quickly schooled her features, and said, “Supergirl knew this was the only way to save the human race. To her, there was no choice.”

“But she would have survived Myriad herself, wouldn’t she?” Tom inquired.

Cat nodded, and sighed. “She was unaffected by the waves personally. But Tom, Supergirl has already lost so much. She was just a child when her planet exploded, and everyone she’d ever known was suddenly gone. She couldn’t bear to see another planet destroyed, and made the choice to sacrifice her own life instead.”

Tom paused to let that sink in. Then, since Cat had already informed him that it would be pointless to ask for details on the hero’s rescue, he switched gears. “Tell us a little bit about Supergirl.”

Cat’s eyes softened. “She’s the strongest person I know, and I don’t mean physically. Of course she has superpowers, but she would be a hero even without those powers. She has so much goodness in her heart.”

Intrigued, Tom inquired, “What is your relationship with Supergirl, Cat?” The way Cat was talking, it was almost as if… He frowned, waiting to hear what the media mogul would say.

“I’m proud to call her a friend, and I admire her tremendously,” Cat responded, looking directly at the camera. Kara felt as if Cat was staring right at her, and her heart leapt.

Tom couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Is she more than a friend?”

Cat laughed, and then responded, “Are you trying to get a glimpse into Supergirl’s private life? I certainly can’t help you with that.” She shook her head. “Now, do you have any more questions about the Myriad situation?”

The interview continued for a few more minutes, with Cat clarifying some details about the situation and continuing to heap praise upon Supergirl. Kara watched in stunned silence. She knew that Cat cared about her; that much was obvious. But the way that Cat talked about her in that interview, with so much respect and admiration… well, she hadn’t seen that coming at all.

Just then, Cat’s private elevator opened, and the boss herself returned to the bullpen. “Get to work,” she snapped at those who were gathered around the televisions. “I don’t pay you to watch TV.” Her eyes softened for a moment when they met Kara’s, and then she spun around and marched into her office. The day had begun.


	22. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next installment, since I finally had a chance to do some writing today.
> 
> Sorry about this slow updates, and I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks, as always, for any comments or thoughts that you can share!!

As the morning continued, it was clear that the public was fascinated by the Myriad saga, and by Supergirl’s heroics. CatCo was flooded with requests, particularly since Cat’s relationship with the superhero made her the most likely point of contact. Kara bore the brunt of this increased attention. Her desk phone was ringing almost constantly, and the young woman was struggling to complete any of her daily tasks.

After a particularly unpleasant conversation with Fox News, she slammed the phone back into the cradle a little too forcefully, muttering something about ignorant sexist pigs. She flinched when she noticed that she’d broken the cradle in half.

Almost immediately, she heard Cat’s voice booming out of the office. “Witt? My assistant needs a new phone, preferably one that can withstand a little force.” Winn glanced over in surprise, and then nodded and scurried away. “And Kiera? Find someone else to answer the phones for a while. You need to go pick up lunch.”

Cat had been staring at her assistant for an inappropriately long time. Now that she knew how Kara’s lips felt on her own, it was hard not to think about what she wanted to do once she got Kara alone. Not that either of them was ready for some of her more explicit thoughts, but she couldn’t help imagining how it would feel to touch Kara, to run her tongue along that collarbone, to feel the powerful superhero quivering at her touch and begging for more. Mostly, she just wanted to kiss those lips again, and to feel the Kryptonian in her arms.

She had watched her assistant take several phone calls in a row, charmed by the way Kara furrowed her brow and adjusted her glasses regularly. But when she saw Kara’s irritation finally boil over, she knew that her assistant needed a break. Hopefully, a trip out of the building and a relaxing lunch would help.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kara took more than half an hour to return with their lunches. In the meantime, Supergirl thwarted a bank robbery, chased down the perpetrator of a hit-and-run, and helped to contain a water main break. When Kara finally appeared in the doorway of Cat’s office, clutching a bag of takeout food, her hair was slightly damp. Cat maintained a stoic expression to hide her suddenly accelerated heartbeat, and motioned Kara silently toward the balcony. When the two women were outside, she took the bag from Kara and placed it on the table. Then she spun toward the superhero, wrapped her arms around the younger woman’s neck, yanked Kara toward her, and kissed her.

Cat took control of the kiss from the beginning, pressing her body insistently forward and probing Kara’s lips with her tongue until the younger woman’s mouth parted to allow her entrance. Two tongues danced lightly together, while Kara’s hands belatedly wrapped across Cat’s shoulders. Cat’s own arms moved in opposite directions, with one sliding down onto Kara’s back and the other rising to the superhero’s neck, urging her closer. Their kisses increased in intensity, tongues pressing against each other and arms grabbing tightly, until Cat finally broke away, gasping for breath. She looked into Kara’s eyes, which were clouded with desire, and smiled. “I’ve been waiting all morning to do that,” she murmured.

Kara closed her eyes briefly to calm her racing heart, then smiled at Cat. “Me too,” she acknowledged. “Cat… The article you wrote, and the things you said about Supergirl this morning–“

“Were all completely true,” Cat asserted, cutting her off mid-sentence. She wanted Kara to understand that her judgment was not clouded by her romantic feelings for the superhero. Cat grasped the young woman’s hands and led her toward the couch, where she continued talking. “Kara, you are the strongest person I know, and the most noble. I felt that way before I even realized I had feelings for you. The choices you make every day, putting yourself in danger to help others, your generosity…” Cat ran a hand down Kara’s cheek, and then continued softly, “That’s why people love you, not because of your super-strength.”

“I’ve always tried to challenge you,” Cat continued, “because I felt you needed it. People are afraid of superheroes, Kara. You needed to convince them that you were above reproach, so they wouldn’t fear your powers. But you’ve done that. You don’t need me to push you anymore.”

Kara gazed warmly at the woman who had become her boss, mentor, and friend. “Cat, you’re my inspiration. I will always need you.” She leaned forward, placed her hands on either side of Cat’s face, and kissed her again. Then she pulled Cat into a hug, murmuring, “I still can’t believe this is real.” She didn’t know how this was happening, and how this woman – this gorgeous, sexy, brilliant, and generous woman – somehow had feelings for her lowly assistant.

They sat there, arms wrapped around each other, until Kara remembered that there was food. Amazingly, it had slipped her mind.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Cat,” Kara said through her boss’s intercom, “Carter’s on the phone for you.”

Cat raised an eyebrow, forcing herself not to panic. Carter rarely called unexpectedly. He was a creature of habit, and almost always called at their prearranged times. Could something have happened to him? She quickly grabbed the receiver. “Carter, honey? Are you okay?”

“Fine, mom,” said Carter, sounding anxious. “Mom… I read your article, and saw the interview. You must have been so scared. Are you okay?”

Cat’s heart melted. In all the conversations she’d had today, not one person had asked how she was doing. Yet here was her teenage son, more concerned with how scared she’d been than the fact that the world might have been ending. It reminded her that Carter was the love of her life.

Smiling, Cat responded, “I’m fine, Carter. I was with Supergirl. I couldn’t possibly have been in better hands.” She met Kara’s eyes, knowing the young woman would have heard every word, and smiled at the superhero.

“Yeah,” Carter responded. “Um… That, um… that’s the other reason I called.” He paused, and Cat could hear him drawing in a shaky breath. “Are you… um, well…” Finally, he blurted out quickly, “Dad thinks you’re dating Supergirl.”

Cat sat for a moment in stunned silence. She could only imagine what Carter’s father had said about the subject. It had probably been far less innocently phrased, something like, “That bitch is fucking Supergirl.” Had she been that transparent? She’d thought she had simply praised Supergirl’s heroics and character. Had there been any indication of a personal relationship?

“Why… would he think that?” she finally uttered.

She could almost hear Carter thinking, trying to decide how to phrase his father’s words. “He, um, he said he saw something in your eyes when you talked about her… he said you’ve never looked at him like that. He thinks that you’re either dating her or, um, trying to date her?” Once again, she appreciated Carter’s attempt to censor the man’s comments. She was appalled, though not surprised, to hear that he was saying things like that in front of Carter. But right now, she needed to do some damage control. How would Carter feel about her relationship with Kara? How could she explain that Kara was Supergirl? She forced back the feeling of panic that threatened to overwhelm her. She wasn’t ready for this conversation, but she had no choice. She couldn’t lie to Carter, but she could limit what she said.

“Carter,” she began carefully, “Supergirl is amazing, and a superhero. She’s gorgeous, kind, and powerful, and I’m old enough to be her mother.” Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Kara’s eyes fill with concern, but she would have to handle that later. Right now, she was focused on Carter. “Why on earth would she date me?” 

“So you do want to date her?” Carter said in a small voice.

Cat sighed. Carter was too damn smart for his own good, and she had no idea how to approach this conversation. She searched for something else to say, but found she was at a loss. She certainly couldn’t deny that she wanted to date the superhero. It was time to level with him. After a moment, she said quietly, “Carter, you’re the most important person in the world to me. How would you feel about me dating her?”

Carter was quiet for a long moment, and Cat thought she might pass out from the tension of waiting for his opinion. Eventually Carter responded in a small voice, “I think I would like that.”

With a sigh, Cat released the air from her lungs, having not even realized she was holding her breath. She inhaled deeply a few times, and distantly heard Carter continue thoughtfully, “She’s not the kind of person you usually date.”

“Carter, we’ve talked about this,” Cat responded automatically. “You know I’ve dated women.”

“Come on, mom, that’s not what I mean at all,” Carter said, and she could almost hear him rolling his eyes. “She’s just a lot nicer than the people you usually go out with.” As Cat flinched in surprise, he added, “At least she seems that way. I don’t really know her.”

He was right, of course, not that she was about to admit it. Tentatively, Cat offered, “Maybe you could spend some time with her?” She saw Kara look at her, beaming, and sighed with relief.

“Can we have her over for dinner tomorrow, mom?” Carter asked, trying hard to sound nonchalant. He was coming home tomorrow, and he was going to have dinner with Supergirl.

“Are you sure you want her to come over that soon? You’ll probably be tired–“

“Mom, please,” Carter said firmly. “I’ll be fine. You’re just nervous.”

Cat laughed, because he was completely right, again. “I’ll see if she’s available.” She felt compelled to add, “Carter? Please don’t tell your father about this.” She didn’t want to take any chances with Kara’s identity.

“Please,” Carter responded. “I’m not an idiot. You think I want to hear more of his thoughts on this? See you tomorrow, mom.”


	23. Welcome Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a difficult few days for me. I feel like I'm failing in a lot of areas, but the one thing I have had time to do is write more of this story. Thank you all so much for the reads, kudos, and especially the comments. I really appreciate hearing people's reactions to my story.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like the latest installment. Thanks for the encouragement.

When Carter stepped into his home the next afternoon, he found himself engulfed in his mother’s arms. He hugged back for a moment before embarrassment set in. “Mom,” he protested, “I’m too old for this.”

“Sorry,” Cat responded, not the least bit sorry. He was her son, after all, and she had missed him terribly. She grabbed one of his bags to help him carry them toward his room.

Carter looked around anxiously as they carried the bags toward his room. “Is she here, mom?” he asked, his voice betraying his excitement.

Cat laughed. “Not yet, Carter.” She set down a bag and looked at Carter. “She wanted to give you a little time to settle in first.”

“Oh, okay,” Carter said. “But she’s coming, right?”

He looked so eager that Cat had to smile. Still, she needed to be sure. “You’re really okay with this, Carter?”

“Yes, mom,” Carter said, rolling his eyes and feigning annoyance.

“She’ll be here in an hour,” Cat confirmed, and Carter grinned widely.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara stood at the door to Cat’s apartment, fidgeting nervously. Earlier today, the two women had talked at length about Kara’s approach tonight. Kara’s first instinct was to come as Supergirl, but Cat disagreed. “First of all, I’m not dating Supergirl. I’m dating you, Kara Danvers.”

“Zor El,” the young woman murmured, so softly that Cat almost didn’t hear her.

“What?” Cat said, confused.

“Kara Zor El. That’s my Kryptonian name,” Kara said quietly. “Danvers is my adopted name.”

Cat gazed at her warmly for a moment. “Everything about you is fascinating, Kara Zor El,” she said softly. Then she continued. “If we want Carter to accept this relationship, we have to be honest with him.”

“Cat,” Kara began anxiously, “everyone who knows my secret is in danger.”

Cat shot her an exasperated look. “You don’t think Carter is already in danger, as the daughter of Supergirl’s biggest fan?” Kara cringed and looked at her in panic, so Cat continued, “Kara, we’ve been connected to you all along. The risk won’t change because he knows your secret.” Cat looked at her, searching. “What is it you’re really worried about, Kara?”

“Besides Alex killing me?” Kara responded, and then sighed. Cat saw right through her, as usual. She might as well admit it. “Cat, right now Carter is in awe of Supergirl. But really I’m just Kara, your assistant. If he learns how… how ordinary I am, he’ll be disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” Cat responded incredulously. “Kara…” She sighed. The young woman would have to see for herself. “Please just trust me.”

Kara looked at her for a moment, and then nodded sadly.

Now she stood at the door, holding a large wrapped package and wishing she’d argued more with Cat. Carter was going to be so disappointed. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

“I’ll get it!” Carter yelled, bouncing up and running toward the door. When he saw Kara standing there, he stared in confusion. “Kara?” What are you…” His voice faded as he began to process what he was seeing.

Kara tried to hide her crestfallen look. “Hi Carter,” she said softly. “Can I come in?”

Carter automatically stepped backward to let her in, and then stood in the hallway, staring. Kara could see him struggling to make sense of everything as she shut the door behind herself. She turned back around and looked at him, trying to hide her nerves.

“You’re…” he finally said, and then whispered, “You’re Supergirl.”

Kara nodded silently, and stood there awkwardly as he continued to stare at her. “You’re Supergirl,” he whispered again, his eyes wide, and suddenly launched himself into her arms.

Cat, unable to contain her curiosity, had watched this entire exchange. She smiled and murmured, softly enough so that only Kara’s super hearing could pick it up, “I guess he’s not disappointed.”

After a moment, Carter disengaged himself, and the barrage of questions began. “Did you always know you were going to be Supergirl? Can you really catch a bullet? How fast can you fly?”

“Carter,” Cat said, laughing, “at least let her come inside first, before you start pestering her.” She gestured them toward the living room.

“It’s okay, Cat,” Kara said, smiling at the older woman. She was just so relieved by Carter’s reaction. “I’m happy to answer all of your questions, Carter. But can we take them one at a time?”

Carter nodded sheepishly. “Sorry,” he said. “Kara, what made you start being Supergirl?”

As she sat down on the couch, Kara set down the package, and then responded, “Honestly, I didn’t plan on it. The planet already had Superman. I didn’t think they needed another superhero.”

“So what changed?” Cat asked, suddenly curious, as she sat down across from Kara and Carter.

“That plane that was in trouble? My sister was on it.”

“Ah,” Cat responded, understanding completely. Of course Kara would’ve had to save that plane.

But Carter was intrigued. “You have a sister?”

Kara nodded at him. “Foster sister. Her parents adopted me.”

He frowned, processing this information. “So once you saved that plane, what changed?”

Kara smiled at Carter’s insatiable curiosity. He was so much like his mother. “I realized how good it felt to save people, and how much I could help National City. I couldn’t go back to being normal; not when I could do so much good.”

Kara suddenly remembered the package she’d brought with her. “I, um…” She looked nervous, but continued, “I brought you something.” She picked it up and handed it to Cat. “It’s for both of you, really, but I don’t know if you’ll actually want it. Honestly, you might think it’s a little creepy, or amateurish, or both. If you don’t want it…” She trailed off at the sight of two raised eyebrows, and couldn’t help but note the family resemblance.

Cat shook her head and turned toward her son. “Carter, sometimes it’s hard to believe she could be a superhero.” She took the package and began to unwrap it. As she got her first glimpse of the object inside, she inhaled sharply. Her mouth fell open in surprise, and her eyes widened. 

Carter rushed over to see what she was looking at, and stood transfixed, whispering, “Wow.” It was a painting of the two of them. They were seated on the couch in Cat’s office, bent over a book and having an animated conversation. The detail in the painting was amazing, and the love between them was so clearly displayed that it took his breath away. 

Kara fidgeted and watched them nervously, but managed to keep herself from babbling.

Eventually Cat spoke. “Did you paint this?”

Kara nodded, embarrassed, as Carter looked up in surprise.

“It’s amazing, Kara,” Cat said quietly. “You’re amazing.”

“I, um, went from memory, I guess.” Kara offered, “I could’ve done a better job if I had more time, but I wanted to bring you something, so I did it last night.”

“You painted this last night?” Carter repeated, incredulous.

Kara nodded. “I don’t need a lot of sleep,” she said, shrugging.

Carter ran back over to her and launched himself into her arms again. “Thank you so much!” he said. “I can’t believe you painted that. It’s incredible. Mom, can we hang it over there, by the fireplace?”

Surprised and relieved, Kara hugged him back. She glanced at Cat, and was shocked to see the older woman with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Kara,” Cat said quietly, smiling warmly at her. “It’s perfect.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dinner was filled with talk of superpowers. Carter, the budding scientist, wanted to understand everything that Kara could do, and the young woman patiently answered his questions. Cat had to admit she was fascinated as well, but she eventually put a stop to Carter’s interrogation. “Enough, Carter,” she admonished. “Kara is our guest.”

Kara began to protest that she didn’t mind, but Cat shook her head. “Carter, tell us about your trip.”

“Oh,” Carter said. “It was okay. Dad brought his new girlfriend Jessica along, and the two of them were really annoying, but France was cool.”

“What did you do in France?” Kara asked. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Carter stared at her incredulously, and then started laughing. “Kara, you could be there in like a minute. You know that, right?”

“Oh,” Kara said, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “Yeah, I guess I could, but I’ve never had any reason to go.” Slightly embarrassed, she asked, “Did you go to the Louvre?” She had always wanted to visit the famous art museum.

Carter nodded. “That was pretty cool. I would’ve spent more time there, but Jessica –” he made a face “–said her feet hurt and she was bored, so we had to leave.” He sighed. “Honestly, it would have been so much more fun with you, mom. You and Kara,” he added, hoping to sound casual.

Cat smiled, and Kara’s face lit up. Cat vowed to herself that she would travel to France soon, and find a reason to bring Kara and Carter with her.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When dinner was over, they played Settlers of Catan. To no one’s surprise, Cat won, with Carter coming in a close second. Carter shook his head at Kara’s miserable performance, and concluded that she was hopeless at this game. “I guess your superpowers can’t help you here. Are you this bad at every board game?”

Kara just laughed, and responded, “My sister routinely beats me at strategy games.” She didn’t care about winning; she was just happy to be included in the activity. Carter liked her, and nothing else really mattered.

“Now,” Cat said, raising an eyebrow at Carter, “you’ve had a very long day, and you need to get some rest.”

Carter sighed loudly and muttered, “Dad didn’t care what time I went to bed.” But he stood up and headed down the hall. Halfway to his room, he stopped and turned around. “Will you both come say good night to me?” 

Cat responded, “Of course we will, Carter.”

Satisfied, Carter went into his room to change and brush his teeth.

When he was ready for bed, Kara went in first to say good night. Carter’s face lit up when he saw her, but the first thing he said was, “You make my mom really happy, Kara.”

Kara smiled, and responded, “She makes me happy too.” She sat down on the side of Carter’s bed. “Carter, I wanted to thank you for inviting me here, and for welcoming me. I know it’s hard to imagine anyone being good enough for your mom, but you gave me a chance, and that means a lot.”

Carter grinned and flung his arms around Kara. “You’re perfect for her. You’re Supergirl, and you’re Kara.” 

Kara noted that he said those two names with equal reverence, and swallowed to contain the lump in her throat. She would try her hardest not to let him down. “Good night, Carter,” she said softly.

“Good night, Supergirl.”


	24. On the Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had lots of time to write today, and writing is coming more easily now, so here's one more chapter for now. 
> 
> I want to sincerely thank all of you who take the time to post comments, thoughts, reactions, or suggestions, or just to say you're enjoying this story. It honestly makes this all worth writing. (Well, that, and the fact that this is an escape of sorts from reality.) So thank you... I love the people on this site.

When Cat emerged from her son’s room after saying good night, she found Kara on the balcony, staring off into the night sky. She joined the superhero on the balcony, and the two of them stood there silently, looking out into the distance. After a moment, Kara said softly, “Sometimes I wonder what my parents would think of all of this.”

Cat had a million questions that she wanted to ask, but she remained silent, waiting to hear what the hero had to say. Kara murmured, “This planet, it’s… Humans are doing exactly what we did on Krypton, destroying our planet. If my parents were here, would they have done what Non did? Is that the only way to stop it?”

Finally, she turned and looked at Cat, and the anguish in her eyes was evident. “Spending time with Carter, it reminds me of the future we’re trying to protect. Maybe that’s what Astra was thinking, back on Krypton. Maybe she did what she felt was right for me, and that’s why she committed those horrible crimes.”

“Kara,” Cat said softly, “Astra did inexcusable things, even if she was trying to do them for the right reasons. Killing people, or controlling them, is never the answer. I refuse to believe that humans are beyond redemption. What the world needs, now more than ever, is guidance. They need someone to help them make the right choices and prioritize the right things. And that’s where you come in. You are the hero they’ve needed, Kara. They’ll listen to you.”

Kara began shaking her head. “I don’t know how to do that, Cat. I can’t save the planet.” Panic set in at the thought of bearing this responsibility.

Cat smiled gently at the flustered superhero. “That’s why you need people like me, and Alex, and everyone else that you trust. You don’t have to do this yourself, Kara. You have the power to help save the planet, but this burden is not yours to shoulder alone. Stronger together, Kara, remember?”

Kara gazed at her for a moment, and then nodded slowly. She smiled at the woman who had become her hero, and so much more. Then she wrapped her arms around Cat and hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Cat. You always know just what to say.” Cat smiled and hugged her back, kissing Kara’s cheek and then resting her head on the younger woman’s shoulder. This conversation was giving her the beginnings of an idea, but she would save those thoughts for later.

They stood like that for a couple of minutes before Kara pulled back slightly. “Cat,” she began, “thanks for having me over tonight. You were right about everything.”

Cat laughed. “I always am, Kara.” She brushed a strand of hair out of Kara’s face, and then said, “Carter loves you – both sides of you. I knew he’d be thrilled to learn that you were Supergirl. And that painting you did?” She smiled and looked into Kara’s eyes. “It’s amazing. After that, Carter was completely enamored.” She pulled Kara forward and kissed her gently. “No one can resist you, Kara. Least of all me.” She kissed Kara again, and the superhero eagerly responded. They shared series of soft, patient kisses, expressing the tender feelings that their conversation had surfaced.

After a few minutes, though, those kisses had transformed into feverish, passionate ones, and both women could feel their need building. Eventually Cat lowered her mouth and buried it into the side of Kara’s neck, running her lips and tongue along the sensitive skin. Kara wrapped a hand around the back of Cat’s head, pulling her closer, and inhaled sharply as Cat’s tongue drove her crazy with desire. Kara’s other hand, meanwhile, inched along Cat’s side until she reached the woman’s chest. She lightly cupped a breast through the fabric of Cat’s blouse, and felt the older woman react to the touch by arching forward. Emboldened, Kara traced a hardening nipple with one finger, while her other hand pulled at the fabric of Cat’s blouse, trying to gain entry. When she managed to untuck the blouse, both women moaned as Kara’s hand made contact with the soft skin of Cat’s waist.

“Kara,” Cat gasped, “we should–” She moaned as Kara’s hand inched upward onto a lacy bra – “stop.”

Kara’s hands stilled, and she pulled back slightly. “Sorry,” she murmured, embarrassed.

Cat shook her head and looked into Kara’s eyes. “Kara, you should never, ever be sorry about making me feel like that. But we need to take it slowly. I want this to last.”

Kara nodded and removed her hands from Cat’s breasts, wrapping them around the older woman’s back again. She hugged Cat tightly, and then responded, “Me too.” They stood still, arms around each other, as each heart gradually slowed down to a normal pace. Eventually, Cat kissed Kara softly again, and then grabbed her hand and led her back inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“You’re… going to Paris?”

“We both are, Kara, for the climate change summit this weekend,” Cat said impatiently. “Do try to keep up.”

Kara nodded slowly. “But why you, Cat? Weren’t you going to send Pete?”

“Oh, Pete’s still going,” Cat said, waving her hand, “but I’ll also be there as a special correspondent.” She lowered her voice so that only Kara could hear. “There’s a rumor that maybe Supergirl will make an appearance, and I want to be there to capture it.”

Kara was baffled. “There’s a…” She trailed off, and a few seconds later, said, “Ohhh.” She nodded. “That would be a good time for Supergirl to speak about the environment, wouldn’t it?”

“It certainly would,” Cat nodded, “and I’m hoping she’ll take advantage of it. I’ll need my assistant to be there with me, handling all of the details.”

Kara nodded at the older woman, offering a silent look of gratitude. “I’ll make the arrangements,” she said, and turned toward her desk.

“Oh,” Cat added, “and Kiera? Carter is coming too. He just got home, and I don’t want to leave him so soon.”

Kara’s smile lit up the whole room. She understood exactly what Cat was doing, and her heart melted.

XXXXXXXXXXX

“I don’t understand why I can’t just meet you there,” Kara grumbled, surveying the small plane from the doorway.

“Kara,” Cat responded, “don’t you think it’d look a little strange if my assistant just teleported herself from National City to Paris?”

“It’s just…” Kara sighed, settling into a chair. “This is not natural. Cramming ourselves into a metal tube and shooting across the ocean, when we could be up there,” she gestured, “actually flying.”

Carter stared at her, eyebrow raised, as they took their seats. “Is Supergirl actually afraid of planes?”

“No,” Kara answered a little too quickly. “It’s just a strange way to travel, that’s all.” She sighed again, tightened her seatbelt, and decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Cat’s private plane was nice, after all, compared to the usual methods of human air travel. And of course she’d be ready to leap into action if anything went wrong.

She noticed that Cat was busy tightening her own seatbelt next to Kara, and that the woman’s face looked a little pale. Kara remembered Cat’s fear of heights, and felt a little guilty for voicing her own skepticism. “Cat, would you like a drink?” she offered, gesturing toward the minibar.

“That would be nice,” Cat said tonelessly.

Kara stood up, walked over to the bar, and poured a glass of Cat’s favorite bourbon. As she returned to her seat, she handed it to the media mogul before buckling in. Then she laced her fingers around Cat’s other hand, which was gripping the armrest tightly. “Don’t worry, Cat,” she murmured. “If anything goes wrong, Supergirl will take care of it. I promise. Plus–” she tugged at her backpack “I brought enough M&Ms to feed an army.”

Cat’s smile seemed a little forced, but her hand released its death grip on the armrest, and curled around Kara’s fingers. That would have to do for now.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Once the plane had taken off, Carter settled onto a couch to watch Wonder Woman, Cat pulled out her laptop to attend to company business, and Kara set to work speed-reading dossiers on each conference attendee. As Kara rifled quickly through folders and scanned hundreds of internet bios, Cat paused to look at her, and murmured, “I wish I could do that.”

Kara stopped reading at looked at Cat. “I’m doing this for you. Anytime you meet someone and want to know their background, or need information on a topic, I’ll be right here. It’ll be like having an encyclopedia at your side.”

Cat smiled at Kara, and kissed her cheek. “How did I ever function without you?”

“You did just fine, Cat,” Kara said, smiling in return. “But we’re stronger together, remember?”

“Always,” Cat murmured, gazing at Kara, and then turned her attention back to her laptop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the plane finally landed seven hours later, Kara had studied every person attending or speaking at the conference, learned about the latest global trends in environmental science, reviewed the facts and opinions about climate change, and identified the key players on each side of every issue. She had also checked in with the driver who was to meet them at the airport, as well as the housekeeper who was preparing Cat’s French vacation home for their stay. She had promised Cat that she would take care of the details, and she intended to fulfill her responsibilities.

When the plane landed and they had disembarked, Kara greeted their driver in flawless French, and proceeded to converse with him about their plans for the rest of the day. When they had settled into the limousine, Cat commented, “I didn’t realize you knew French, Kara. That wasn’t on your resume.” She knew that for a fact, since she’d spent many hours staring at Kara’s resume, trying to determine whether or not the woman was Supergirl.

Kara stammered a response about learning a few languages along the way, and tried to change the subject. “We should be there in half an hour,” she informed them.

Carter would not be deterred that easily. “How many languages?” he asked, sensing that the answer was far more than two.

“Um…” Kara hesitated. Then she muttered, “Pretty much all of them.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then Carter asked, “How is that possible?”

“Well, I, um…” Kara squirmed, avoiding Carter’s awed gaze. “I spent twenty-four years in the Phantom Zone. I slept a lot, but my brain had tons of time to learn from the ship’s computer. No one knew which languages I’d need, so the ship was programmed to teach me every language it knew. I learn quickly.” She continued helplessly, “There are probably some tribal languages the computer wasn’t aware of, so I don’t really know all of them.”

“Hold on,” Carter said. “The Phantom Zone?”

“It’s this place where time doesn’t pass, and things that get caught in it usually stay there forever.” Kara shuddered involuntarily. “Somehow, my ship escaped. It’s why I’m younger than Superman, even though I was born first.”

“Twenty-four years in that pod by yourself?” Cat asked, trying desperately to hide the look of horror from her face.

“It was a long time,” Kara said softly, her eyes betraying some of the misery she had experienced. “Fortunately, I was barely conscious for most of it.” She shook her head. “Poor Alex.” She turned to Carter, and explained, “She’s my sister. When I first got to Earth, I never wanted to be alone, so I made her sleep with me a lot.”

“I’m sure she was glad to help,” Cat responded gently. “She loves you.” There was so much she still wanted to learn about this fascinating woman.

Kara nodded. “She’s always been there for me.” Then she turned to look out the window, and gasped. “It’s so beautiful! Is that a castle?”

Cat smiled, marveling at the superhero. Despite having experienced so much misery, or perhaps because of that, Kara was filled with more joyous passion than anyone she’d ever met. She vowed to show Kara all that she could of this country. “Welcome to France, Kara,” she said warmly.


	25. Getting Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, life has been busy, and I haven't had a chance to do much writing or editing. Hoping to get another chapter out this weekend, or maybe Monday.
> 
> Thanks for all of the support and encouragement! It keeps me going.
> 
> I hope everyone is well.

It turned out that the castle-like building was, in fact, Cat’s French vacation home. Kara stared in awe as the limousine pulled up to the front door. “This is yours?” she asked Cat, eyes wide.

Cat laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s a modern building; it was just designed to fit the landscape.”

Kara leapt out of the car and helped the driver with their bags. Cat and Carter tried not to notice how easily she lifted three of them, while the driver struggled with the other two. She raced into the house, and gasped at the sprawling front parlor, with its large skylights and sweeping staircases. A startled look from the housekeeper reminded her that she should probably be struggling with the bags, and she slowed to a walk before placing them down in the corner of the parlor. She stepped forward to introduce herself to Marie, once again conversing in perfect French to confirm that everything had been arranged for their visit. Cat shook her head at Kara’s exuberance and talents, but said nothing.

Cat took Kara’s hand and led her on a tour of the house, while Carter headed to his room to unpack. She saved her own bedroom for last, and smiled as Kara gasped at the gorgeous view from her balcony. Cat closed the door behind them with a quiet click, and stepped confidently toward the superhero as Kara spun around and looked at her in confusion. “I’ve been craving this for hours,” she murmured, pulling Kara toward her and kissing the woman hungrily. Kara responded eagerly, matching Cat’s desperation with her own, and the two women lost themselves in a haze of desire.

For a couple of minutes, Cat was unaware of anything other than the presence of strong arms surrounding her and the feel of Kara’s lips on her own, but eventually she realized that her shoes had fallen off, and opened her eyes in surprise. “Kara,” she murmured, her lips still touching the superhero’s, “why are we floating?”

Instantly, they sank two feet lower, and Cat’s feet returned to solid ground. “Sorry,” muttered Kara apologetically, “I didn’t realize I did that.” The younger woman backed away slightly, embarrassed.

Cat laughed. “You don’t need to be sorry, Kara.” She kissed the superhero again, and then said, “It makes me feel powerful, seeing you lose control like that.”

To Cat’s surprise, the superhero flinched. “I shouldn’t lose control,” Kara said, staring at the ground, and Cat detected a hint of fear in her voice. “I can’t.”

Cat watched her for a moment, and then guessed, “You’re afraid of hurting me?” When Kara nodded, Cat put a hand on the hero’s chin, and tilted it upward so that she could meet Kara’s eyes. “I could never be afraid of you, Kara,” she whispered, her eyes sincere.

“You should, Cat,” Kara responded miserably. “What if I hurt you? What if I lose control when… What if I can’t contain my powers?” She spun away from Cat, and stared out the window. “I can’t bear to hurt you,” she said quietly.

Cat stepped up behind Kara, and wrapped her arms around the hero’s waist, hugging her from behind. “You won’t, Kara,” she answered confidently, willing Kara to believe her. She knew that the superhero would never hurt her, but she also understood that Kara didn’t have complete faith in her own self-control. “But that’s one of the reasons we need to go slowly. We never have to do anything you don’t want to, okay?”

Kara nodded reluctantly, but didn’t turn around. Cat took a deep breath, and prepared to admit something she’d never even considered saying to anyone else. But this was Kara, and she was safe with the young woman. At least, she hoped so. “Kara,” she said quietly. “I’m yours. Whatever that means. We’ll only do things that you’re comfortable with. And no matter what, I’m not going anywhere.”

At that, Kara spun around and stared at Cat, her eyes a mixture of fear and hope. She wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman, and kissed her gently. “Cat…” she said softly.

“Don’t you dare say thank you,” Cat growled. “I’m just telling you how I feel.” She felt suddenly self-conscious, having bared her heart, and was second-guessing her confession.

Kara smiled. “I was just going to say I feel the same way. I’m not going anywhere either, Cat,” she admitted softly.

Cat’s stomach unclenched and her heart leapt. She kissed Kara again, her lips saying what no words possibly could, and held on tight to the superhero. She didn’t know what would happen in the future, but right now, Kara was hers, and that was enough.

She grasped Kara’s hand, and led her toward the bed. “Come on, Supergirl. I don’t know about you, but I need a nap before we go to the conference.”

Kara smiled and followed Cat onto the bed. When they were both lying down, Cat pulled Kara close and kissed her gently. She murmured, “I never want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with, okay?” The two women lay side by side, exchanging kisses, with their arms wrapped around each other. Eventually, Cat curled her body into the younger woman and rested her head on Kara’s shoulder. She actually did want to take a nap, after all. Kara wrapped her arms around Cat, and closed her eyes, thinking that Cat was right, as always. Even if this was all they could ever have, it was perfect.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Late that afternoon, the two women got dressed to attend a formal dinner at the conference. This would be an excellent opportunity to meet some of the dignitaries in less formal settings, and Cat knew it was important for them to make an appearance.

Fortunately for Kara, Cat had promised to provide all of the formal clothing they would need on this trip. She had no idea what she’d wear to such a formal affair, but knew that whatever it was, she didn’t own it. Cat directed her toward one of the guest rooms, where Kara’s own suitcase had also been unpacked for her. (To Kara’s relief, she’d hidden the super suit in her carry-on, just in case.) Opening the closet door, Cat carefully selected one of the garment bags. “Put this on,” she directed, and left the room.

Kara stripped off her clothing and took a quick shower, using the bathroom attached to her guest room. When she was ready, Kara carefully unzipped the bag, gasping as she inspected its contents. It was a gorgeous sleeveless black dress, and from the name on the label she knew it had cost thousands of dollars. She slipped the dress on, and it slid easily into place, hugging her curves perfectly with soft fabric. She eyed the low neckline and nearly nonexistent back, which showed more skin than she ever had in her life, except at the beach. Then she surveyed her bare arms and shoulders nervously. She couldn’t possibly wear this dress. Could she?

Kara frowned. She had to admit that it fit her body perfectly, and that she looked… sexy? More than a little uncomfortable, Kara applied minimal makeup, dried and styled her hair, and then went in search of the woman who’d selected this dress.

“Cat,” she said as she rounded the corner to the woman’s bedroom, “do you really think this dress is approp–“ The word died on her lips as she caught sight of Cat’s own outfit, a stylish dress in royal blue that fit just as well as her own. She stared at the older woman, and finally managed a whispered, “Cat… You look…”

Cat, meanwhile, was struggling to regain the power of speech as she surveyed Kara’s gorgeous body, which was perfectly displayed by that devastating dress. She recovered first, and smiled at Kara’s spellbound look. “I knew it. That dress is perfect for you, Kara.”

“No one will be looking at me, Cat,” Kara said, having recovered somewhat. “Not if I stand next to you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kara,” Cat said. “You look amazing.” She smiled and kissed Kara lightly on the lips before turning back around to put on lipstick.

Kara’s uncertainty came back as she watched Cat apply the finishing touches. “You really think I look okay in this dress?” she asked hesitantly. “It’s not too… revealing?”

Cat laughed. “Kara, you’re gorgeous. You might be the most beautiful woman most of these people have ever seen. You’ll be fending off suitors all night.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “I sincerely doubt that,” she muttered.

Cat smiled knowingly, but refrained from commenting further. “Let’s go say goodbye to Carter,” she said instead. Carter would be staying here tonight, having a sleepover with the housekeeper’s son Phillippe, who was around the same age and had always gotten along well with Carter.

When they entered the front parlor, Carter was sitting there waiting for Phillippe to arrive. He glanced at them, and then looked again, blinking his eyes in surprise. “Wow. Kara…” He swallowed. “You look amazing.” As an afterthought, he added, “Mom, you too,” trying not to be rude.

Cat laughed, having fully expected that reaction, while Kara stammered her thanks. “You see, Kara?”

“He’s just being polite,” Kara muttered, flushing a deep shade of red.

Cat shook her head, and took the younger woman’s hand and dragged her forward. “Let’s go, Kara. The car is waiting.” The fact that Kara had no idea how incredibly gorgeous she was should have annoyed Cat, but she found it endearing. She was used to dating people who were full of themselves, either because of their successes or their looks, or both. She thought back to Carter’s reaction, that Kara wasn’t much like the people she usually dated. He was right, as usual. She’d been blind to what was right in front of her for far too long. She smiled, vowing to make up for lost time.


	26. Debut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life is so chaotic, and I'm exhausted. Wish I could write faster, and get this story out of my head, but it's just slow going.
> 
> Thank you all SO much for the feedback. I know I say this every single time, but it really is the reason I keep writing. I like to know that people are reading, and whether or not they like what I'm doing. Feedback is always great. Thank you all so much!!

When they arrived, Kara got out of the limo first, and then helped Cat to her feet. She noticed that Cat did not immediately release her hand, squeezing it more tightly instead. They walked, hand in hand, to the entrance of the ballroom. Once there, Kara took in the massive room, with its high ceilings and decorative ornamentation. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

“Gorgeous,” Cat confirmed, looking directly at Kara and making no secret of exactly what she was referring to. She watched Kara blush as the young woman realized that Cat was talking about her, and smiled. Kara adjusted her glasses and smiled back nervously.

As they descended the stairs toward the crowd, a U.S. Senator called out, “Ms. Grant? So wonderful to see you again.”

Cat smiled politely and released Kara’s hand to greet the politician as he rushed over. She had contributed heavily to his campaign and endorsed him publicly. She admired his stance on environmental issues, and appreciated his support of public welfare programs. “Senator Davis, it’s a pleasure. I’m happy to see you here. This summit, and what it represents, is incredibly important.”

The senator nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it. Our country needs to lead the way on environmental issues.” Then he turned toward Kara. “Now, Cat, who is this lovely lady with you, and wherever did you find her?”

As Kara flushed a deep shade of red, Cat smiled. “This is my assistant, Kara Danvers. She’s here with me this week.” As she spoke, Cat laced her hand possessively through Kara’s, giving the senator the distinct impression that Kara was more than just an assistant.

Senator Davis grasped Kara’s other hand and kissed it. “It’s always a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman.” Eyeing the fierce gaze in Cat’s eyes, he released Kara’s hand and backed away. “It’s lovely to see you, Cat, as always. Enjoy the conference.” He nodded his head nervously, and hurried off toward another corner of the room.

Kara couldn’t help giggling at the sight of the man virtually running from Cat’s angry gaze. “Calm down, Ms. Grant. He was just being friendly.”

“Hmm,” Cat responded noncommittally. She’d seen the way Senator Davis looked at Kara, and wanted to put a stop to it quickly, no matter what his intentions were. She sighed as she saw most of the men in the room eyeing the two of them, with many already headed in their direction. It was going to be a long night.

Next up was the Czech ambassador. He introduced himself to the two women, declaring himself a big fan of Cat’s work, and chatted with the media mogul for a moment before asking about the woman by Cat’s side. When Cat said that Kara was her assistant, the man’s eyes lit up, apparently thrilled by the lack of a romantic connection. Kara nodded and smiled politely, offering a greeting in the ambassador’s native language.

“You speak Czech?” the man asked in surprise.

Kara shrugged. “I’m good with languages,” she answered in Czech. She asked the ambassador about the latest Czech election, in which the president had won a second five-year term, and how the country was responding.

“Beautiful and smart,” the man responded, beaming. In English, he offered, “I would love to show you around my country. Are you available for a few days after the summit? I can take you to see all the wonders of my native land.” Glancing at Cat, he added, “It would make an excellent feature for your magazine,” as if that would hide his true intentions.

Kara flushed, and stammered, “I’m pretty busy at the moment.”

Cat fought to contain her smile. Kara really didn’t know how to respond. The man’s approach was clumsy, almost endearing, but she decided to rescue her assistant from this particular suitor. She quickly made her apologies and dragged Kara away from the ambassador. As they walked away, Kara shot her a look of surprise, and Cat smiled and squeezed her hand.

They circled the room, interacting with men and women from various parts of the world, and Kara continued to display her gift for languages and knowledge of each country’s current political climate. Cat found her enchanting, and could see that her colleagues did as well. Fortunately, many of them stuck to friendly banter, possibly dissuaded from any romantic overtures by the possessive way in which Cat clutched Kara’s hand, or by their fear of the legendary Cat Grant.

Cat’s presence did not stop one of the British dignitaries, however, who flirted shamelessly with both of them. After his crude insinuation that the three of them could spend the night together, Kara had heard enough. The young woman distinctly recalled that he had a wife, and inquired as to her health. As the dignitary flushed and responded, she politely excused them both from further conversation.

Once they were free of his lecherous advances, Kara turned to Cat, demanding, “Why are some of the men here so creepy?”

Cat laughed. “Kara,” she said, “have you looked in the mirror? You’re stunning. Every man here wants you. Women, too.” She added in a lower voice, “I can’t really blame them, since I feel the same way.”

At that, Kara turned to meet her gaze, and smiled shyly at the unexpected compliment, despite flushing a healthy shade of red. Weakly, she offered, “Just promise you won’t leave me alone.”

Cat laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” she answered sincerely.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

As they sat down for dinner, Kara was relieved to see their table filled with women. After all, the creepy advances had all come from males. So far, the women she’d talked with seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, rather than her looks. As Kara and Cat began to converse with their neighbors, they discovered that many of those women had requested to sit near Cat Grant, wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to meet one of their heroes. Kara sighed with relief and listened, smiling, as the women talked about Cat’s influence on their own lives. Cat offered advice and told stories of her own experiences, and Kara could see that the women were captivated. Kara chimed in with a few of her own stories about Cat, highlighting her boss’s talents and generosity.

Eventually, one of the women brought up the topic of Supergirl. “How did your friendship develop with the superhero? Weren’t you critical of her at first?”

“Of course I was,” Cat responded. “She’s a woman, trying to succeed in a man’s world. She was always going to be seen as something less than Superman unless she found her own voice. I was tough on her because I wanted her to overcome that.”

The woman nodded, and then asked, “Did she hold that against you?”

“I think she understood that I did it for her. Maybe not right away, but over time, I believe she realized that I helped her mature.”

“How often do you see her?” asked another woman.

“More often than you’d think,” Cat said wryly, squeezing Kara’s hand under the table. “She visits me sometimes, and we talk about a lot of things. We face some of the same challenges, being powerful women in a world dominated by men. At first, I think I was kind of a mentor for her, but over time, we’ve become close friends.”

“Do you know her real identity?” one woman couldn’t resist asking.

“If I did,” Cat replied, “I certainly wouldn’t share it. But no. She has her private life, and I have mine.” She leaned forward conspirationally. “I’ll tell you a secret, though.” She saw Kara glance at her nervously, and smiled. “I think she’s going to make an appearance at the summit this weekend. Maybe you’ll get a chance to meet her.”

Amidst the squeals and exclamations, she met Kara’s eyes, and smiled again. Kara swallowed and nodded nervously, hoping that Cat knew what she was doing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

After dinner was over, the floor was cleared to allow for dancing. Kara groaned audibly, thinking of the men she’d met earlier, and Cat patted her hand. “I know, Kara,” she murmured. “But we need to stay, at least for a while.”

Kara nodded unhappily. She actually loved dancing, and would normally be excited at a chance to do so. But tonight’s interactions had made her uncomfortable, and she wanted to hide in a corner to avoid the leering glances of some of the dignitaries.

The first song was upbeat, a recent hit by a French artist who was here to perform it tonight. Before anyone else could ask Kara to dance, Cat grabbed her hand and dragged her out onto the dance floor. “Dance with me,” Cat said softly, “and I won’t let anyone think about cutting in.”

Kara nodded and shot her a look of relief. The two of them started moving to the music, and it quickly became clear that they were both excellent dancers. They chatted and laughed as they danced together, and the fact that they had an audience was lost to them. They quickly forgot anyone else was in the room.

When the song ended, a slower one came on, and Cat pulled Kara close, wrapping her arms around Kara’s neck and nuzzling her head into the younger woman’s shoulder. Kara closed her eyes and rested her head on top of Cat’s, and the two of them swayed to the beat. At one point, Kara leaned down to whisper in Cat’s ear, and Cat looked up at her, smiling. Their admirers saw the way the two women looked at each other, with passion and adoration, and knew they had no chance.

Kara and Cat danced through six more songs before deciding to take a break. As they left the dance floor, holding hands, Cat glanced around in amusement. “Well, it appears we’ve ruined a lot of people’s nights, Kara,” she commented, observing the jealous looks that were being aimed her way.

“Why?” Kara inquired, glancing around in confusion. “We just danced together.”

Cat laughed and shook her head. As always, Kara was oblivious to her own magnetism. “Will you get us some drinks?” she asked, rather than respond. “I’m going to sit down and take off these heels for a while. They’re not the best dancing shoes.”

Kara glanced at her sympathetically, and then nodded and quickly crossed the room toward the open bar. As she ordered two drinks from the bartender, she felt someone stepping a little too close behind her, and glanced over her shoulder. It was a French movie producer that she’d met earlier, and she had not particularly enjoyed the conversation. He leaned into her ear and murmured, in French, “I see that your girlfriend has finally left you alone. Shall we take a walk in the gardens? I believe that you would enjoy what I have to offer.” As he said that, he stepped even closer, and she could feel him pressing against the back of her dress, trapping her between his body and the bar. “Or we can visit my hotel room upstairs, if you prefer.”

“No thank you,” answered Kara firmly, gritting her teeth and trying to keep her temper in check. “Not interested.”

“You’re right, of course. Where are my manners?” The man shook his head. “Naturally, we should start with a dance, before we extend the evening in my suite. I promise, you will not be disappointed.” He slipped his hands around her sides and cupped her breasts.

Kara had restrained herself so far, but she wasn’t going to stand for that. The young woman reached up, grabbed his wrists, and yanked his hands off of her, using just a bit of extra force. Then she slammed his hands down into the wooden surface of the bar. He jumped back, wincing in pain as he flexed his hands, and glared at her. Kara glared back as she accepted the two drinks that the bartender offered. She knew she should walk away, but she was just so disgusted by his behavior. As she walked by the Frenchman, she glared at him one more time, and opened her mouth to speak. But no words seemed adequate, so instead, she poured a drink over his head. As she walked away, still holding the second drink and an empty glass, she ignored the gasps of surprise from those around her.

By the time she had crossed to the other side of the room, the ballroom was awash in murmurs. Cat, who had witnessed the man’s unexpected shower, was fighting a smile. “What did he do?” she asked quietly as Kara sat down and handed her the drink.

“Said some inappropriate things, and grabbed me.”

Cat shook her head at the man’s behavior, but she knew that Kara could take care of herself. She imagined it would’ve been hard for the young superhero to keep her temper in check. Cat held the glass up to her lips to hide her own grin as she asked, “Did you break his hands?”

“No,” Kara answered. “They’re just bruised. I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

At that, Cat could no longer stifle her laugh, and Kara flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry,” she muttered. She knew she should’ve stopped herself, but she just couldn’t resist letting the man know exactly how she felt about him. And maybe she wanted him to suffer a bit of embarrassment.

Cat, however, was thoroughly enjoying this situation. “Kara, don’t apologize,” she responded, laughing. Kara didn’t often lose her temper, and she had appreciated seeing the young woman stand up for herself, particularly without the use of a cape. She added, “That’s the second-best thing that’s happened all night.”

“Second to the Cat Grant fan club at dinner?” Kara asked, smiling.

“Second to dancing with you,” Cat said quietly.

Kara’s heart leapt at those words, and she gazed warmly at the older woman. They shared a smile, and Kara was about to ask if she was up for any more dancing when one of the women from their dinner table stopped by. Kara remembered that her name was Julia, and that she was the CEO of National Energy, a US company. “I just wanted to thank you for that display,” she said to Kara. “It was outstanding.” Kara flushed and began to protest, but the woman continued, “That idiot came on to me earlier, and tried to grab me. I pushed him away, and fortunately, someone saw it and stepped between us.”

At that, Cat’s eyes flashed dangerously. “You should’ve broken his hands,” she muttered to Kara under her breath. To the other woman, she said, “Maybe it’s time to investigate this man’s behavior. It appears he has a problem keeping his hands to himself.”

The woman nodded. “I imagine there would be some secrets to uncover, but that’s up to you. I just wanted to let Kara know we all appreciated her efforts,” she said, smiling at the young woman. 

After Julia walked away, Cat smiled and squeezed Kara’s hand. “Always a hero, Kara,” she murmured softly. Seeing the fatigue in the young woman’s eyes, she offered, “We can go home now if you’re ready.”

Kara nodded gratefully. It had been a long day and an eventful evening. The two women stood up, joined hands, and left the ballroom.


	27. Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone's having a nice weekend. Thank you all for continuing to read and comment. I feel like this story is pulling me along at this point - it's taken a lot of different turns than I thought it would, but I'm just so attached to the characters that I can't let go.
> 
> Thank you all for your support and friendship. It means everything.

When they arrived back at Cat’s vacation home, both women were struggling to keep their eyes open. As they stumbled wearily toward the bedrooms, Kara paused at the door of the guest room where her clothes had been unpacked. “Cat,” she began hesitantly, “do you think… Well, maybe you don’t want this, but I was just wondering–”

“Kara, is there an actual question coming at some point?” Cat said, eyebrow raised. She was tired, and planned to end this conversation before the night was over.

Kara sighed. “Can I sleep in your room?” she asked quietly. Then she rushed to add, “I mean, maybe that’s too forward of me. I don’t mean we have to… um… I just liked sleeping next to you. I can just–”

“Yes, Kara,” Cat said. She tried to seem annoyed, but couldn’t hide a smile at the young woman’s insecurity. “I’ll be waiting for you,” she said softly, squeezing Kara’s hand before walking away.

When Kara knocked on Cat’s door, the older woman was already lying in bed, wearing reading glasses and flipping through a magazine. She looked up and shook her head as Kara entered, wearing a powder-blue flannel nightgown. “Quite a change from your earlier outfit,” she commented, and saw Kara blush. And yet... even in flannel pajamas, her face devoid of makeup, Kara was gorgeous. It was unfair, really.

Kara approached the bed hesitantly, and stood at the side of the bed until Cat put down her magazine and asked, “Are you going to stand there all night?” She smiled as Kara finally sat down on the bed, and reached her arms out for the superhero. Kara sank into her embrace, and their mouths sought each other. When they finally met, it was urgent and passionate. The two women had been together all night, holding hands and even dancing, but had waited until now to share a kiss. Now, they made up for lost time.

With their lips fused together, Cat and Kara wrapped their arms tightly around each other. Their hands roamed, alternating between pulling each other even closer and exploring the feel of each other’s bodies. Cat was wearing a loose nightgown, and Kara soon found her fingers sliding underneath the fabric, exploring the skin beneath. She ran her hands up and down Cat’s bare back, sighing at the feel of being so close to the older woman. After a couple of minutes, she tugged at the nightgown and whispered, “Can I–“

Without waiting for Kara to finish, Cat yanked the nightgown over her head and tossed it away. Kara’s heart raced at the incredible sight of Cat Grant’s smooth flesh and lacy bra, and she continued to run her hands along Cat’s stomach and back, marveling at the warmth and softness.

Cat, meanwhile, had begun by running her hands over Kara’s flannel. She quickly tired of the bulky material, though, and sought bare skin. She sank her hands onto Kara’s flawless body, marveling at the softness of Kara’s body. Once her own nightgown had been removed, she worked to unbutton Kara’s flannel and explore the skin beneath. Kara sighed happily as Cat’s hands ran along her stomach, and then slid upward to cup her breasts through her sports bra.

Once the last button had been undone, Kara wriggled out of the open nightgown, pulling her arms from the sleeves, and the two women found themselves entangled on the bed wearing nothing but panties and bras. As they sank closer together, Kara moaned, and Cat pulled back slightly to look at the superhero. Kara’s face was flushed, her eyes were closed, and her pulse was racing. Cat thought she had never seen anything quite so beautiful, but she also wanted to make sure that Kara was comfortable with what was happening. Reluctantly, she murmured, “Kara, darling, is this okay?”

Kara hesitated, and then nodded. “This is more than okay,” she breathed. “It’s incredible. I don’t know if we should go any further, though,” she added reluctantly.

Cat nodded, having come to that same conclusion herself. She wanted to take this slowly, and make sure that Kara could handle everything that happened. Still, this was pretty amazing. She could spend hours just running her hands along Kara’s body. In fact, she planned to do just that for as long as she could stay awake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, the conference was slated to begin. However, not much would be happening until the welcome address was given that night, and Cat had decided that to use the day for more pressing matters – taking her assistant on a tour of Paris.

As she opened her eyes, she was struck by sight more beautiful than anything they would visit – a sleeping, half-naked Kara Danvers, sprawled across the bed next to her. She brushed some hair out of the superhero’s face, and heard the young woman sigh contentedly. She couldn’t resist running her hand along Kara’s cheek. Kara’s eyes flickered open, and she smiled at Cat sleepily. A moment later, Kara reached out for the older woman, and their lips met in a series of soft, gentle kisses. “Mmmm,” Kara murmured. “What a way to wake up.”

Cat smiled gently. As much as she wanted to continue this, they needed to get up if they wanted to accomplish even half of what she had in mind. “Come on, Kara,” she murmured. “I’ll make you some breakfast.”

At the mention of breakfast, Kara’s eyes lit up. Some things would never change.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Kara had eaten an obscene amount of breakfast, Cat, Kara, and Carter piled into the limo and headed toward Paris. “Where are we going?” Kara inquired. She knew the conference was starting today, but didn’t think Cat was interested in any of the morning events. Plus, Cat had instructed her to dress in casual, comfortable clothing.

Cat just smiled mysteriously and said, “You’ll see, Kara.” She wanted Kara to see a number of things in Paris, but none were more important than the art museum that Kara had asked about. When the car pulled up to the entrance, Kara’s eyes lit up at the sight of the distinctive pyramid-shaped entrance. “We’re going to the Louvre?” she whispered excitedly.

Carter rolled his eyes at her child-like excitement, but grinned happily. It would be nice to tour the museum with someone who wasn’t complaining the whole time.

Cat had hired a private tour guide, knowing that Kara would want to see as much of the museum as possible. Sophie met them in front of the entrance, introducing herself and expressing her admiration for Cat. As she led them past the crowds waiting to enter, Sophie explained that she had been an art history major. She was now employed by the museum, helping to maintain and renovate the museum’s exhibits, but jumped at the opportunity to spend the day with the legendary Cat Grant. She then introduced herself to Carter and Kara, and was surprised when Kara responded in flawless French. The two began conversing in her native language, discussing the status of some notable exhibits, as they walked toward the first rooms on their tour. Sophie was relieved to hear that Kara was most interested in the collection of paintings, since Cat had arranged for their visit to focus on those areas of the museum. She needn’t have worried, of course; Cat was solely interested in making Kara happy, and thought the woman would want to see the paintings.

They began with artwork of the Italian Renaissance. Carter thought he might be bored, but Kara’s enthusiasm was contagious. She explained the various techniques that were illustrated in each work of art, pointing out distinctive features of the time, and Sophie chimed in periodically whenever Kara forgot to mention something. It was impossible not to fall in love with the artwork after hearing it described by two enthusiasts, and Cat and Carter were enthralled. 

When they stopped at the Mona Lisa, the group fell silent for a moment. Cat had always thought the Mona Lisa was overrated, and Carter didn’t really understand why this strange-looking woman was so popular. Kara and Sophie pointed out the revolutionary aspects of the painting, however, such as the unique background and the lack of a clear outline, as well as a facial expression that initially appeared to be a smile, but faded upon closer inspection of the features.

Cat felt as if she were seeing the work through new eyes, thanks to the help of her remarkable assistant. She reached for Kara’s hand and squeezed it fondly, smiling at the superhero. Sophie’s eyes softened as she glanced at their joined hands, but she pretended not to notice that Cat’s “assistant” was obviously far more than that. She certainly couldn’t blame Cat. After all, who wouldn’t want to be with this beautiful and intelligent woman?

They continued on to look at French paintings, and explored the characteristics of French impressionists, highlighting some of the differences from earlier artwork. Then they wandered through the galleries, looking for a few of Kara’s favorites. When they were tired of walking, Sophie offered to take them on a short driving tour to show them some of the famous architectural features in the city. All three eagerly accepted – Kara wanted to see some of the buildings she’d read about, and Cat and Carter welcomed a chance to rest their legs. They stopped for a picnic lunch, with Kara eating most of the food singlehandedly (while Sophie watched in amazement), and then drove around the city for a while. They stopped to climb the Eiffel Tower, of course, and then dropped Sophie off back at the Louvre. By then, it was mid-afternoon, and Cat and Kara needed to go home to change before the opening address.

As the car sped away from Paris, Kara grasped Cat’s hand with her own, and kissed Cat’s knuckles gently. Looking at Cat, she squeezed the woman’s hand, and said softly, “Thank you.” 

Cat smiled and responded, “For what? It was fun.”

“Still,” Kara insisted, “thank you, Cat. Today was amazing.”

“I’m glad,” Cat murmured, and she kissed Kara softly on the cheek. She curled into Kara’s arms and rested her head on the younger woman’s chest. They spend the rest of the ride like that, cuddled together on the seat. Carter looked at them and grinned widely. This was already light years better than his last trip to Paris had been.


	28. Opening Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in the midst of writing a horrendously detailed report at work, which has made finding time/energy to write this story difficult. This chapter was written a while ago, but I'm ready to post it now, after doing some editing. Hopefully I'll have some time this week to get going again. I like to stay a couple chapters ahead.
> 
> I hope you all are well. Thank you so much for the kudos and comments... even just letting me know you read it. Every word means a lot.
> 
> I write to immerse myself in other people's lives, rather than my own. It doesn't really work, to be honest, and sometimes it makes me feel... hollow, somehow, and maybe a little desperate. But I keep going, determined to find whatever it is that I'm desperately seeking. Still, one thing that does help is knowing that I'm not talking to myself, that other people are reading and following the journey with me. It sounds crazy, now that I'm writing it down, but I'm just trying to say that I appreciate all of you. So thank you.

As the two women stepped into the magnificent theatre that evening, Kara’s eyes widened. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, for about the hundredth time that day. This time, she was referring to the vast elegant space, with its lavish ornamentation adorning the walls and balconies and the plush red velvet seating that dominated every level.

“It’s an old theatre,” an usher standing next to her explained, “built in the late 1800s, but it’s held up well. Have you ever seen Phantom of the Opera?”

Kara nodded, not sure what that had to do with anything.

“The original novel was written with this theatre in mind.”

Cat nodded. “That makes sense. It fits the story perfectly,” she observed.

Cat and Kara made their way slowly through the hall toward their seats, which were located in a private box on the first balcony. Periodically, Cat stopped to talk with a colleague, and Kara found herself meeting more dignitaries and CEOs, and utilizing her language skills and knowledge that she’d acquired on the plane. She did see a few people she’d met the previous evening, like Julia, the woman who’d congratulated Kara on the impromptu shower. Kara smiled warmly at the CEO.

“Kara, it’s lovely to see you again,” Julia said. “Did you have a chance to tour Paris today? Cat said you might.”

Kara beamed as she nodded. “This city is incredible. And the Louvre…” She sighed, unable to put her feelings into words. “Everything was magnificent.”

“I imagine Ms. Grant took excellent care of you,” Julia responded, smiling knowingly. She took Kara by the arm and led her away from Cat. “Tell me,” she murmured softly, “how long have the two of you been… well, more than boss and assistant?”

Kara blushed a deep shade of red. She glanced back toward Cat for help, but her boss was deep in conversation with a news anchor from CNN. After an awkward pause, she said, “We, um… What makes you think we’re, um… I don’t know what…”

Julia laughed. “Relax, Kara. I’m just enjoying watching the two of you together. The way she looks at you, it’s obvious that she thinks you’re amazing.” She paused, and then added, “Honestly, you are pretty incredible. I mean really, Kara, how many languages do you speak?”

Kara shook her head. “Not that many,” she muttered, wondering what people were saying about her. “I’m just good with languages.” To change the subject, she asked. “How long have you been a CEO?”

Julia smiled, having no doubt that Kara had studied the answer to that question, but responded anyway. “Three years. I took over when Jacob Lynch retired. The board thought our company needed new direction, so they brought me in. Since then, our company’s sales have increased by twenty-eight percent, mainly due to our focus on solar and nuclear power.” She paused for a moment, and then added, “I’ve actually been looking for a good assistant, someone I can trust. I would love to have you, Kara. Are you interested?”

“I’m, um…” Kara was thoroughly flustered by this conversation. “I like my job.”

Julia laughed. “Relax, Kara. I know that. You’re obviously not going anywhere; I just wanted to see your reaction. Though I could offer you a substantial pay raise.” When Kara began to stutter an answer, Julia waved a hand, dismissing the subject. “Don’t bother,” she said, smiling. “I just want you to know I’m a big fan. If you’re ever available, in any capacity, call me.” She handed Kara a business card, on which the woman had written her personal cell number. As Kara struggled to determine whether Julia meant that personally or professionally, the woman squeezed her hand and winked.

As Kara made her way back toward Cat, another one of the women they’d dined with spotted her and waved. Sarah Warner was an attorney who had made national headlines by taking on the oil industry, and was currently involved in the fight against fracking. Kara had never met the lawyer personally, and was startled last night when Sarah greeted her by name. As they exchanged pleasantries tonight, she admitted being surprised that the attorney knew who she was.

Sarah smiled. “Kara, you’re the first assistant who has ever lasted more than a month with Cat Grant. You’re a legend.” She shook her head. “I’ve never seen Ms. Grant rely on anyone the way she does with you. She really trusts you.” She smiled, and said sincerely, “The two of you have something special.”

Kara blushed and stammered a response about having a great boss, and Sarah laughed. “Oh, come on. Cat Grant doesn’t dance like that with her assistant. Or anyone else, for that matter. She’s in love with you.”

Kara would have denied it further, but there seemed no point. Instead, she focused on what Sarah had just said. She’s in love with you. “You really think so?” she asked tentatively.

Sarah laughed again. “Without a doubt.” She grasped Kara’s hand and squeezed it. “I like you, Kara. Anytime you need anything, give me a call.”

“You too,” the young woman responded, smiling.

Kara caught up with Cat as her boss was conversing with the CEO of a German car company, and Cat quickly introduced her assistant. Kara greeted him politely, and couldn’t resist asking a few questions about the man’s work with hydrogen fuel cells – in German, of course. Before long, they were deep in conversation about some of the difficulties his scientists had encountered.

Cat, whose German was rudimentary at best, struggled to follow the discussion, but watched with fascination. Kara knew about hydrogen fuel cells? “Of course she does,” Cat thought to herself ruefully. “Probably more than any scientist on earth.” Once again, Cat realized she had vastly underestimated her assistant’s abilities. Was there anything that Kara couldn’t do? And why had she wasted so much time sending Kara on meaningless errands, wasting the young woman’s incredible talents? Just then, Kara glanced at her and smiled, her eyes shining with love. As Cat’s heart skipped a beat, she recalled that she had waited far too long in a number of ways. She would just have to make up for lost time.

To the delight of the German CEO, Kara was able to offer a few specific suggestions regarding the technology he was pioneering. At one point, she dug a piece of paper out of her purse and quickly sketched the outline of an engine, and then pointed to something on the right side of it and explained how the valve could be redesigned to run the engine more efficiently.

“May I have this?” the CEO inquired hopefully, staring at her drawing. It was ingenious – simple but brilliant – and he couldn’t believe she had offered it so casually. That idea alone could have made her millions.

“Of course,” Kara said. She quickly sketched another part, and pointed out where on the car it should be placed to help capture kinetic friction from the brakes, storing the energy. By the time she finished, the CEO was staring at her, eyes wide.

“How do you know all of this?” he asked in English, shaking his head. Minds like hers were rare, and he couldn’t believe that he’d only encountered it by chance. Their brief conversation would transform his company’s technological approach. What could she do over a longer period of time? He was desperate to find out.

Kara shrugged, embarrassed. “Just a hobby,” she muttered. “I read a lot.”

He looked at her skeptically, knowing that her ideas were far too advanced to be based on some casual hobby. This woman was brilliant, and clearly knew far more than she was letting on. Still, he wasn’t about to argue with Kara, not when she was offering so much help. “Would you consider working for my company? “ the CEO asked eagerly. “You would make a wonderful researcher. I would pay you handsomely, of course.” He paused, and glanced at Cat. Seeing the possessive glare in her eyes, he quickly added, “Part time, maybe? Whenever you are available. I wouldn’t dream of taking you away from CatCo.”

Kara smiled, more from amusement at the look in Cat’s eyes than from the man’s generous offer. She politely declined, but encouraged him to call her if he had any more questions. He nodded eagerly, and jotted down her number on the piece of paper she’d given him. “Thank you so much, Ms. Danvers!” he gushed. “I look forward to talking with you again soon.” Kara nodded as Cat took her hand to lead her away.

As the two women approached their seats, Cat shook her head and growled, “Why is everyone trying to steal my employee?”

Kara laughed at the absurdity of it all. “At ease, Ms. Grant. You know I’m all yours.” Smiling gently at the older woman, she continued, “I don’t get it either, Cat. I’m just your assistant.”

“You haven’t been ‘just my assistant’ for a very long time, Kara,” Cat said softly. “You’re a lot more than that, and everyone knows it.” She shook her head. “You’d better not take any of those offers. I’m not training a new assistant.”

Kara smiled. “I don’t want to be anywhere else,” she responded firmly. 

Cat squeezed her hand in response.

As the lights flashed in warning, they settled into their seats. Kara was surprised to see a series of large movie screens unfurled throughout the theater, and even more surprised when a movie produced by CatCo Worldwide Productions began to play. She’d known that Cat was working on some sort of film project, but hadn’t realized that it was intended for this conference.

The film began by reminding audience members of the diminishing resources on the planet and the signs of climate change that were already evident. The movie then displayed some of the impacts that were already being felt, as well as the potentially larger impacts if nothing was done to curtail the use of fossil fuels.

Kara noticed that Cat had managed to sneak in a few clips of Supergirl, including one where she was rescuing some penguins who’d been trapped on a melting glacier. (She had no idea how Cat had obtained that video. As far as she knew, only a few scientists had seen the rescue, and none of them had cameras. It must’ve been taken on a phone, and enhanced later.) Still, the message of this movie was that not even a superhero could fix this alone. They would need to work together on this crisis. The short video ended with a reminder that humans had accomplished amazing things, and would continue to do so, but they needed everyone’s help to save the planet. As another shot of Supergirl flashed across the screen, depicting her rescue of a stranded humpback whale, the clear message was that Supergirl would lead the charge. Kara was speechless, both at the power of the message and the idea that people would respond to her leadership, but she had to admit that the film was inspirational.

When the movie had ended, the lights came up and the screens disappeared into the ceiling. At that point, the president of France stepped to the podium to deliver the opening remarks, but the message had already been sent. Although he was an engaging speaker, nothing he said would top the powerful images carefully crafted by Cat Grant.

The French president called upon countries throughout the world to unite against climate change. He asked them to find ways that each person could help, and challenged countries and industries to reduce or even reverse the effects of pollution. He continued Cat’s message of urging people to unite in search of a common goal, and he thanked them all for their commitment to making a difference.

The rest of the weekend would focus on finding concrete solutions to the world’s problems, with companies displaying the latest innovations and research and world leaders pledging to enact stricter regulations and find alternative sources of energy. But tonight was about the overarching message, which the French president repeated: They needed to unite to save the planet.

“Stronger together,” Cat murmured. Kara squeezed her hand, unable to give voice to the thoughts swimming around her head.

When the lights came back up, Cat stood up to leave, and held out her hand for the young superhero. “Kara,” Cat said, “I’ve been slated to talk two nights from now. I thought that if Supergirl was available, she might want to use that time.”

Kara gulped nervously. Was this too much, too fast? “You really think she… You think she should do that?” Would people really listen to what an alien had to say? After all, it wasn’t even her planet. Not really. 

Cat nodded. “She’s experienced the death of one planet, and doesn’t want it to happen again. She has always inspired people, and she could do a lot of good here. It’s up to her, though. I’m hoping she’ll at least consider it.”

Kara nodded silently. If Cat thought it was a good idea, then she would do it. The idea of talking in front of a global audience was terrifying, but she would do her best.


	29. weekend in France

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's been a while. This chapter was written over a week ago, but I just hadn't had a chance to edit anything. Life has been crazy. Hoping to pick up the pace this week. I hope you're all doing well!
> 
> This chapter is kind of just a setup for the next chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
> 
> As always, I really appreciate any comments, suggestions, or reactions that you have, so please share your thoughts!

When they had returned to their limo for the trip home, Kara glanced at her phone for the first time that night, and frowned. Alex had texted, saying only, “Call me ASAP.” That sounded ominous – Alex wouldn’t have bothered her if it wasn’t important. She tried to think about what time it would be in National City right now. They were what, six or seven hours behind? It was nearly midnight here, so that made it… early evening back home?

“What is it, Kara?” Cat asked, seeing the frown on the young woman’s face.

Kara glanced at her and shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “It’s my sister.” She showed Cat the text.

Cat nodded, suspecting she knew what this was about. Rather than saying anything, she motioned for Kara to return the call.

Alex answered on the second ring. “Kara, you know you’re in the papers?”

“Um… What papers?” Kara responded, confused. Supergirl hadn’t been seen for days. Were they wondering where she was?

Next to her, Cat closed her eyes, her suspicions confirmed. Damn it, she should’ve been more careful. She should have kept things strictly professional, at least in public. She should’ve done lots of things, where Kara was concerned. Exposure for Kara was not going to be a good thing, especially not if she wanted to keep her identity as Supergirl a secret. She had acted selfishly, wanting the world to see her gorgeous girlfriend, and wanting Kara to know that she wouldn’t hide her feelings. Cat just hadn’t cared enough about the ramifications. She bit her lower lip and sighed, wondering how bad it was.

Over the phone, Kara could hear Alex’s hesitation. Eventually, the agent said, “There are reports of Cat Grant dancing with, and I quote, ‘her hot young assistant.’”

Kara cringed, both at the characterization and at the public nature of their relationship. “Oh no,” she whispered, embarrassed. “That can’t be good for her.”

Cat rolled her eyes. Of course Kara would immediately think about Cat’s reputation, rather than her own safety. Cat could deal with the public criticism; she’d done so before, and would survive this as well. She wasn’t so confident that Kara could handle the increased scrutiny, however. Frowning, she pulled the phone away from Kara and switched the conversation to speaker. Before Alex could respond, Cat addressed the superhero. “Kara, this was inevitable. My love life is never private, and a new relationship would certainly pique people’s interest. I should’ve been more careful. Alex, how bad is it?”

Alex sighed. She wasn’t happy about the situation, but it wasn’t Cat’s fault. “Cat, it wasn’t going to remain a secret forever. You can’t hide your relationship long-term.” She paused. “I just wanted you to know that you’re going to be in the spotlight. We should think about how much exposure you’ll get, and whether that will compromise Kara’s identity.”

Kara paled, not having thought about that at all. Having her face in the papers was obviously a terrible idea. But what could they do, really? Could they deny the relationship, or was it already too late for that? “Alex, I don’t know how to handle this,” Kara said miserably.

Alex sighed. “We need to figure out a plan, some way to prove you’re not Supergirl.”

Cat offered, “I have an idea. Provided Supergirl wants to speak at the conference, that is.”

“What?” Alex responded with incredulity. “You’re going to put her in front of cameras and microphones, after Kara’s been seen there all weekend? I can’t think of anything less likely to work.”

“Alex,” Cat said slowly, deliberately, “CatCo has exclusive live coverage. We can manage the video feed. There won’t be many close-ups.”

“I guess,” Alex said uneasily. “But how does this help Supergirl remain anonymous?”

“Kara,” Cat asked pointedly, “how did Supergirl appear in my office that night? There were two of you.”

Alex nodded, understanding the implication of Cat’s question, and considered the idea. Meanwhile, Kara flushed and began to stammer, “That’s, umm, well, I don’t think… I can’t…” She shifted uncomfortably, and fell silent.

Eventually, Alex put a stop to Kara’s discomfort. “It’s not really Kara’s secret to tell, Cat, but it could be an option. Let me work on it.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the following two days, Kara experienced a whirlwind of scientific talks, political discussions, and of course, large quantities of French cuisine. While it would never top pizza or ice cream on her list of favorites, she had thoroughly enjoyed sampling new dishes. One thing she had not appreciated, however, were the small portions offered by restaurants. Cat insisted that she order at least two plates for every meal, and then added a couple of additional specialties to the table for when Kara was inevitably still hungry. She laughed when Kara stared at one of the meals in disgust, muttering, “Who is this supposed to feed? Where’s the rest of it?”

“Just try it,” Cat responded, fighting a smile. “We can order you five more if you like it.” Carter grinned from his side of the table.

When Kara took a bite and closed her eyes with delight, Cat summoned the waiter and asked for five more servings to be brought out on a large plate. He stared at her for a moment, seemingly horrified, and then nodded and scurried away. 

Cat turned to Kara and casually added, “Don’t worry. We can certainly afford it, after your stunt last night.”

Kara looked at Cat. “What did I do?” she asked anxiously. Wait… was Cat worried about finances? Did Kara need to pay for this meal? The menu hadn’t even listed prices, and she hadn’t even considered the idea. This restaurant might cost her a month’s salary. Cat knew how much she made, and that she couldn’t afford meals like this… Didn’t she?

Cat squeezed Kara’s hand. “You’ve made quite a bit of money this weekend, darling,” she said, her eyes twinkling. 

Kara stared at her in confusion. She hadn’t done anything this weekend other than follow Cat around and chat with other attendees.

“I chatted with Karl Weber on the phone this morning,” Cat continued, smirking slightly. Karl was the German CEO whom Kara had helped last night, and Cat called to ensure that Kara’s efforts would be recognized – monetarily, that is. “He agreed that you should be compensated for the assistance that you’ve already offered, and will be depositing ten million dollars into an account with your name on it by tomorrow morning.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “Ten m…,” she began, and swallowed heavily. “You… He’s…” She shook her head in astonishment. “…What?”

Across the table, Carter smiled happily. His mom had told him of Kara’s conversation with the automaker, and Kara had reluctantly confirmed that her knowledge of science was far more advanced than what humans currently understood. And of course his mother would look out for Kara’s interests, since Kara herself never considered them.

Cat continued as if Kara hadn’t responded at all. “Your ideas are worth more than that to him, but you didn’t exactly leave me much leverage.” She leveled a gaze at the younger woman. “He is also quite eager to retain your services as a consultant – at your convenience, of course – but that’s up to you.”

Kara sat there in silence, contemplating everything that Cat had just said. Her head was spinning. She was a millionaire. Cat had fought for her, and made her a fortune. And yet… she’d offered those ideas out of kindness, not as part of a business plan. Her knowledge of science far surpassed that of humans, and it wasn’t really fair to profit on her Kryptonian advantages, was it? She frowned. 

Before she could say anything, however, Cat stopped her. “Don’t you dare feel guilty about this, Kara. Ten million is nothing compared to what you gave him last night, and he’s happy to offer you a fortune simply to ensure that you’ll take his calls in the future. If nothing else, maybe we can use some of that money to start a research foundation. Think of how much good you could do.”

Those were the right words to say, and Cat knew it. She’d make sure that Kara kept enough money to keep herself comfortable – maybe she could finally move out of that sketchy apartment building – and help Kara invest the rest of it in ways that Supergirl would approve of. She met Carter’s eyes, and her heart melted at the delight and admiration in his gaze. Clearly, he felt the same way about Kara as she did.

Just then, Kara’s plate arrived – or actually, plates – as the waiter apologized for not having a large enough platter to contain all five servings. Cat nodded her understanding, and watched with delight as Kara easily finished the whole thing, and then ordered three desserts. The waiter was speechless, but the large tip that Cat left more than made up for any discomfort.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few hours before Cat was scheduled to talk, they went home to change. Cat and Kara would be arriving in formal attire, just as they had on the last few evenings. When Cat pulled out Kara’s attire for tonight, she smiled, knowing that this was her best selection yet. Kara glanced at the dress, and gasped. “Cat, it’s gorgeous,” she breathed, touching the fabric lightly. The dress was white, adorned with subtle textured lines in a floral pattern, and felt soft to the touch.

“Of course it is, Kara,” Cat responded smoothly. “I picked it out. Now go change.”

Kara grinned, kissed Cat lightly on the cheek, and hurried off to try on the dress.

Cat heard a tentative knock at her door a few minutes later, and opened it to let the younger woman in. At her first sight of Kara, Cat thought her heart might actually stop beating. She fought to take a breath, surveying the goddess-like creature standing before her. The dress’s satiny fabric clung to every one of Kara’s curves, and the sleeveless top accentuated her gorgeous body. The afternoon sun caught her in its grasp, and Kara appeared to be glowing, like an angel. She was stunning, and Cat had no words to adequately express how captivating the younger woman was.

In response to Cat’s silence, Kara hesitated in the doorway. “Is it… all right?” she asked nervously. “Should I put on something else?”

Cat smiled weakly. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my whole life,” she said softly.

At those words, Kara smiled happily, and she hugged Cat with such enthusiasm that they floated for a moment or two before Kara caught herself and put them down. Cat laughed at Kara’s delight, and then told her to wait in the front parlor. “I need to get changed myself.”

XXXXXXXXXX

When Cat emerged from her bedroom and stepped into the parlor, Kara’s mouth suddenly went dry as she glimpsed the sexy media mogul – her girlfriend, she reminded herself – dressed in a tight black shimmering gown. She tried desperately to speak, but found that her voice had abandoned her. She stared wide-eyed at her gorgeous boss as Cat smiled knowingly and crossed the room toward her.

“Breathe, Kara,” Cat murmured as she grasped the younger woman’s hand.

Kara had been standing there mesmerized until Cat’s words finally broke her trance, and she blinked a couple of times. Then she offered, “Cat, you look…” She shook her head, and then whispered, “Wow.”

Cat squeezed her hand and guided her toward the limo, smiling.


	30. Supergirl speaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this quite a while ago, but I'm finally getting a chance to post it. I've missed you guys, but life has been chaotic lately. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this posted! I'll try to get another chapter up soon.
> 
> Hope you're all doing well, and thanks again for reading, and for any comments or encouragement that you can provide. I'm hoping to pick up the pace a little.

As their car arrived at the theatre, Cat knew that the press would be waiting. She was one of the featured speakers, so cameras would capture her every move, and of course the recent tabloid rumors had captured the attention of the paparazzi. They were hoping to catch a glimpse of Cat with her new girlfriend. As the door opened, Cat gripped Kara’s hand, focused on the woman by her side. She had no intention of hiding their relationship. “Smile for the cameras, darling,” she murmured as the door was opened and they stepped out of the limo.

Hand in hand, the two women walked toward the doors of the theatre, ignoring the questions being directed their way. In response to the near-constant flashes of cameras, Cat leaned in to whisper in Kara’s ear. “Let’s give them something to write about, shall we?”

At Kara’s confused glance, Cat smiled. Then she stopped walking and turned toward the younger woman, took both hands in her own, and kissed her softly on the lips.

Kara froze, momentarily stunned, and then kissed her back as cameras flashed all around them. When they finally broke apart, however, she gave Cat a nervous look. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I’m not ashamed of you, Kara,” Cat responded. “You’re with me, and I want everyone to know it.”

Kara smiled widely, and pulled Cat back in for another kiss. Then they joined hands and entered the theatre together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Tonight’s featured speaker needs no introduction,” announced the CatCo news anchor who was emceeing this evening’s event. “According to People Magazine, she is one of the ten most fascinating people on the planet. This woman rose to stardom through her talent, determination, and brilliant business acumen, but she has become more than just a familiar face. She exposes the truth, fights for what she believes, and works every day to make this world a better place. Let’s give a warm welcome to the CEO of CatCo Worldwide Media, Ms. Catherine Grant!”

Cat smiled and waved toward the audience as she slowly made her way toward the podium. Once there, she surveyed the crowd and then directed her gaze toward the cameras. In a clear, confident voice, she began to speak. “It is an honor and a pleasure to be given this opportunity,” she began. “Global climate change is one of the most important issues facing our planet today, and I believe that we have a moral imperative to address this growing problem before it’s too late. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of that effort.”

Cat paused, glancing toward where Kara stood waiting in the wings. “However, I will not be speaking tonight,” she said firmly, and paused as a ripple of surprise passed through the auditorium. Suppressing a smile, she waited patiently for the crowd to quiet again. Then she continued, “Instead, I want you to hear from someone who knows firsthand what it’s like to lose a planet. And yet, in spite of everything she’s lost, she inspires hope and faith in all of us. I would like to welcome National City’s hero, and someone I’m proud to call a friend…” She paused, and then said reverently, “Supergirl.”

At those words, the caped heroine emerged confidently from the wing where she’d been watching Cat, and crossed the stage to join Cat at the podium. The crowd, stunned, was silent for a moment, and then broke into enthusiastic applause. As people began to process what was happening, they stood and applauded the woman whose heroic deeds had saved countless lives already. The superhero stood, slightly embarrassed, in front of a loud standing ovation.

But Cat wasn’t quite finished speaking yet. After allowing the applause to continue until Kara began shifting uncomfortably, she raised her hand to quiet the crowd. “Before I turn over the microphone, I would like to share some news,” Cat announced. She glanced sideways, at a person still standing in the wings, and added, “Ms. Danvers, if you would, please?”

Cat’s assistant stepped out of the wings holding a large piece of cardboard, and brought it onto the stage. Cat explained, “In exchange for speaking here tonight, Supergirl has requested that I help to raise money for environmental research and conservation efforts.” She smiled at the superhero, and continued, “I was more than happy to oblige. Together, we’ll be creating a new foundation, named CatCo Earth, which will promote these research efforts. I am personally donating two million dollars to the foundation, and I hope that you will all join me in supporting this worthy effort.” At those words, her assistant flipped the cardboard over to reveal a large symbolic check, and cameras flashed as it was passed to Supergirl. The hero smiled graciously and then hugged both of them.

With the presentation concluded, Cat added, “Supergirl never asks for anything, so when she made this request, I listened. I hope you will all do the same.” Kara, of course, had made no such request. In typical Cat Grant fashion, the media mogul orchestrated this demonstration to bring Supergirl and her assistant onstage together, with the added benefit of raising some money for a worthy cause. Kara was thrilled with the idea, and planned to contribute a sizeable sum of her own. More importantly, this moment would end any speculation about Kara Danvers being Supergirl. Cat nodded at the hero, and then said, “And now, may I present –” she gestured – “Supergirl.”

The Kryptonian smiled at Cat and Hank (appearing as Kara Danvers, of course) and turned to address the audience, doing her best to maintain an air of confidence despite her nerves. She knew that she needed to do this, but she felt exposed and vulnerable, standing here with the cameras focused on her. Cat squeezed her hand as she left the podium, and Kara tried to draw courage from Cat’s faith in her. In a clear, authoritative voice, she began to speak.

“I was thirteen when I watched my planet explode.” She heard a murmur run through the audience at this revelation. She had never really addressed the age difference between herself and Superman, after all, and her cousin had been an infant when he arrived. Perhaps they were wondering how she could be younger than Superman now, or maybe they were simply imagining a child having to overcome that devastating scene. But tonight, she had more important issues to address. Kara paused for a moment, until the murmuring had ceased, and then resumed speaking. “I was in a pod, having been sent to earth by my parents, and I had just escaped the planet’s orbit when Krypton disintegrated in front of my eyes.” 

She took a deep, shaky breath, needing a moment to compose herself as visions of that horrific sight swam through her mind. She saw a shadow of that horror reflected in the eyes of her audience, and reminded herself that she was here to prevent it from happening again. Her voice hoarse with emotion, the hero mused, “In a single moment, everything that I’d ever known, every person I’d ever met, they were all gone. There was nothing left but dust.” She shook her head. “How does a child comprehend that? How could anyone?” She bowed her head for a moment, and offered a silent prayer to those she’d left behind. The audience waited silently for her to continue.

“Unfortunately, the blast knocked my pod off course, and I had twenty-four years in stasis to absorb the loss,” she said, closing her eyes briefly at the memory of those years spent in solitude and agony. “But I often think back to the childhood I spent on a planet that no longer exists. I can still picture my home in Argo City, and smell the air that I breathed. Sometimes, I try to imagine what my life would be like if my parents were still here, and how they would feel about the choices I’ve made. I remember other children on Krypton, and wonder whether they would’ve fulfilled their childhood dreams.” She shook her head. “A whole civilization, gone in an instant. My home.”

She pushed aside her sadness and forced herself to keep speaking. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve been given a gift that none of those people had… a second chance at life. I’ve had the opportunity to grow up, and to experience a world that most Kryptonians couldn’t even imagine. I’m not here to talk about myself. I’m here to talk about what I saw on Krypton, and what I now see happening on Earth. By the time I was born, it was too late to stop Krypton’s destruction.” She surveyed the audience as she uttered her next words. “We need to prevent the same thing from happening here. I won’t lose this planet. And together, we will save it.”

She paused as a burst of spontaneous applause broke out, smiling in appreciation of the sentiment. Then she resumed speaking. “Krypton was much older than Earth. I’ve been told that thousands of years ago, it looked very much like this planet does today – green, vibrant, and teeming with life. That was before nuclear wars destroyed most of its vegetation, and many of its species became extinct. My ancestors’ use of nuclear weapons also weakened the core of Krypton, but it was our over-mining during the following centuries that caused it to become unstable. We stole resources from our own planet until it could no longer hold itself together. My parents tried to warn everyone, but they were too late.” 

“When I first arrived here on Earth, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. It was like stepping into the Krypton of the past. There were living creatures everywhere, sharing the air we breathe. I had never seen a bird before, or a fish, and everything was so brilliantly-colored and full of life. Even the air itself smelled fresh.” She sighed. “But we are making the same mistakes that Kryptonians did, at an even faster rate. Depleting our natural resources for the sake of convenience and efficiency, building weapons that could destroy the entire planet at the push of a button, creating toxic chemicals that render our water undrinkable and our land uninhabitable… It’s like seeing Krypton’s last few millennia play out in fast-forward.”

She glanced at the audience again, and saw that they were listening with rapt attention. “If things continue the way they’re going, we all know how this story will end. But I refuse to believe that humans will allow this to happen. You may not have Kryptonian strength, but you have an advantage they never did. You understand what you’re doing to the planet, which Kryptonians didn’t realize until it was too late.”

“More importantly, you have something that I’ve seen in abundance ever since I arrived on this planet. Hope.” She glanced around the audience. “Every single person in this room has hope, or you wouldn’t be here tonight. You can imagine a better future, and if you can imagine it, you can create it.” She saw nods throughout the audience, and added, “Hope is what inspired me to become Supergirl. It’s also the reason that I believe we can figure this out, together.”

She smiled at the enthusiasm and determination she saw reflected on the faces in front of her, and gestured toward herself. “This symbol on my chest is my family’s crest. It’s how I carry their legacy with me, and it’s a tribute to everything they’ve done to allow me this second chance.”

She continued, “My family’s motto is El Mayara, a Kryptonian phrase that means ‘stronger together.’ On Krypton, asking for help was a sign of strength. Kryptonians recognized that we can accomplish far more working together than we can as individuals. “Now,” she continued, making eye contact with audience members, “I’m asking for your help. We must put aside our differences and work together.” Another burst of applause interrupted her, and she waited patiently while audience members expressed their approval.

“My mother once told me,” said the superhero, remembering the bittersweet message that had been left for her to find, “that I would lose my way many times.” She smiled wryly. “She was right, of course. Mothers usually are. But she said the important thing was to always find my way back.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, and continued, “Let’s find our way back to what’s important. Let’s save this planet – together. El Mayara,” she murmured, touching her chest, and stepped back from the microphone.

Audience members clapped and cheered, and within seconds the entire crowd had risen to a standing ovation. She smiled and waved, feeling slightly uncomfortable. After a moment, Cat appeared next to her, and encouraged the audience to show its appreciation one more time. When Cat nodded subtly at her, Kara smiled, touched the crest on her costume, and flew away through the open window.

A few minutes later, Kara eased through another open window, this one in a private dressing room. Cat and Hank were waiting to greet her, having retired to this room after her speech.

Hank spoke first. “Well done, Supergirl,” he said, somewhat awkwardly.

Kara stepped forward and gave him a hug, which he reluctantly returned. “Thank you for your help,” she said softly. “I really appreciate it.”

“You want to show your appreciation? Next time, wear a pants suit,” he responded gruffly, but gave her an affectionate squeeze before leaving the room.

Kara turned to Cat, her face filled with uncertainty. “Was it okay?” she asked nervously. “I know you gave up your time for me, and I don’t–”

She was interrupted by the feeling of soft lips on her own. In response, she pulled Cat closer, and kissed her back with fervor. All the anxiousness and stress of the past couple of hours simply melted away, and she felt her body gradually relaxing into Cat’s arms.

When the kiss was finally over, Cat smiled and whispered, “You were amazing.” Reluctantly, she pulled away and squeezed Kara’s hand. “Let’s go home.”


	31. Fire!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I know it's been forever since I posted a chapter. I've been incredibly busy, and I'm just now getting a little bit of time to edit and write. I've also been a little stuck on the story. 
> 
> Here's another chapter, with hopefully another installment coming sometime soon. Thank you for reading, and for your patience. I know the wait can be frustrating. Thank you all for the support you continue to offer - I really appreciate every word.

When they returned to the villa, they found Carter waiting for them. “Kara, you were amazing!” he said, launching himself into her arms. “The audience loved you.”

Kara smiled, surprised and pleased by his reaction. “Thanks, Carter,” she replied softly, hugging him back. After a moment, Carter backed away slightly, looking at Kara earnestly. “Will you tell me more about Krypton?” he asked.

Kara shrugged. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything,” Carter breathed, eyes wide. Kara had seen worlds that he couldn’t even imagine, and he wanted all of the details.

Cat watched the interaction, a soft smile on her face. Seeing the fatigue in Kara’s eyes, however, she knew she needed to cut this short. “Another time, Carter,” she instructed. “It’s late. Let’s go to bed.” She gestured toward their bedrooms, and followed them down the hall. 

Kara hesitated in front of the guest bedroom, a questioning look in her eyes. Cat reached out her hand toward the younger woman and pulled her forward, toward the master bedroom. “You’re not getting away that easily,” she murmured teasingly, shaking her head. Kara smiled and allowed herself to be pulled into the room.

Once Cat had shut the door to her bedroom, she spun around and stood there for a moment, surveying the gorgeous woman who had been a hero, yet again, tonight. She thought back to Kara’s words, about being one of the lucky ones, and reflected upon the unlikely circumstances that had brought the hero into her life. Everything about Kara was a miracle. “My angel,” she murmured softly, staring at the Kryptonian before her. Kara smiled in response, love shining in her eyes.

Cat closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms possessively around the younger woman and meeting Kara’s mouth with her own. The kiss was urgent, almost fierce, and Kara eagerly matched Cat’s passion with her own. After a moment, Cat softened the kiss, wanting to savor the moment, and they stood there, trading soft kisses and running their hands across arms, backs, and torsos. Kara felt utterly cherished, and the world around them disappeared until all that was left was Cat’s touch. She moaned softly, wanting even more.

As if reading her mind, Cat slid the zipper down the back of her dress and eased it slowly off of her body. Her hands followed the dress down Kara’s sides and settled on Kara’s hips for a moment before inching their way toward that flat stomach and the swell of breasts just above it.

Now Kara needed to touch. She gently slipped Cat’s own dress off, running her hands softly over bare skin and lace, and lowered her mouth to kiss Cat’s neck. At the feel of Kara’s mouth on her neck, Cat gripped Kara’s hips hard, gasping as her body reacted to Kara’s touch. Encouraged, Kara ran her tongue along Cat’s collarbone before latching on to her neck again.

“I can’t even believe that this is happening,” murmured Cat, capturing Kara’s lips again and pushing the younger woman gently toward the bed. “It’s like a dream.” She smiled at the woman who could have anyone, but somehow wanted her. “I’m going to kiss every inch of you. I’m going to make you mine.”

With lust-filled eyes, Kara whispered, “Please,” as she was pushed onto the bed. She sank back into the pillows, eyeing Cat hungrily.

Cat knew just how strong Kara was, and understood that the hero was allowing her to take charge. The thought made her feverish with desire, and she quickly followed the younger woman onto the bed, tumbling on top of her. Their bodies sank into each other as they kissed, flesh met flesh, and legs sank between thighs to provide the pressure that they suddenly both craved. Hands continued to roam, sliding across bare skin and smooth lace, until Cat unclasped Kara’s bra and carefully slid it off. Kara, less skilled at this, impatiently ripped Cat’s bra off with one hand, causing Cat to laugh in surprise. The laugh caught in her throat when Kara followed her hands with a soft, warm mouth, and she moaned as Kara began to cherish the sensitive skin of her breasts.

Just then, Cat’s phone started to buzz impatiently. The two women looked at each other in frustration and then glared at the offending noise. Eventually, Cat sighed, rolled off the bed, and reluctantly reached for her purse. She dug the phone out to glance at the screen. Just then, they heard Carter’s voice shouting, “Kara! Mom! They need help!”

 

XXXXXXXXXX

A streak of red and blue shot across the sky toward the rising smoke. Supergirl landed with a thump in front of the hotel, not bothering to slow down for a more graceful entrance. She quickly scanned the hotel’s interior, noting that many of its occupants on the west side of the building were trapped by the flames. Firefighters were doing their best to contain the blaze, but the roaring inferno was giving them all they could handle.

“Supergirl,” shouted one of the firemen. “We need to evacuate the building.”

Kara nodded her understanding, and shot up in the air to begin her rescue. She started with the floors just above the location of the fire, grabbing people who leaned out of windows and bringing them down to safety, a few at a time. She tried to reach as many as she could, but her heart sank with the knowledge that she was already too late for a number of the hotel’s occupants.

Supergirl recognized many of the victims as conference attendees. It made sense, of course; this hotel was situated just a block from the theatre and convention center, but the thought that someone might have targeted this hotel was too troubling to consider right now. 

The fire continued its raging tour as she worked her way through the building, and sections of the lower floors began to creak and moan, having been weakened by the conflagration. Alarmed, Supergirl pushed herself to move even more quickly, swooping in to grab several guests at once and depositing them on the ground before they could even blink. She watched in dismay as two columns on the side of the building crumbled, causing pieces of the higher floors to fall into rooms below, and took off again, more determined than ever.

After grabbing the last visible guests, she scanned the floors with her x-ray vision, searching for more people to save. On the eighth floor, one woman lay trapped beneath debris, while a teenage girl crouched in a bathtub, trying to hide from the flames. She went for the teenager first, taking off her cape and wrapping it around the girl’s crouched figure. “It’s fire-resistant,” she said softly, and then carried the girl through the flames as quickly as possible and deposited her next to the medics, hoping she’d avoided causing any more injury. Then she soared away, leaving the cape behind, and dug through rubble until she reached the trapped woman.

“Julia!” she gasped, forgetting for a moment that she was dressed in her Supergirl costume, and that the superhero had never been introduced to Julia. The slip-up went unnoticed, however, since the executive that she’d met a few days ago was in bad shape. Far from the vibrant, powerful woman who had offered Kara a job, she now appeared to be barely hanging on. Her legs were trapped beneath the weight of a pillar, one arm was bent at an unnatural angle, and a gash on her head was bleeding profusely. She stared at the hero with dulled eyes, and murmured, “I’m okay. Go save the others.”

Julia may have accepted her fate, but Kara would not. She quickly moved the pillar, picked up the woman as gently as she could, and rushed her down to a waiting stretcher. “Please be okay,” she whispered, touching the woman’s cheek, before taking off again.

Her next task was gruesome: The hero donned a flame-retardant jacket and gloves, to avoid touching more than she needed to, and then removed the dead bodies from the hotel. The recovery of these bodies might be important to loved ones. She worked as quickly as possible, trying not to think about what she was doing, and doing her best to block out the horrific images she saw. She lay white blankets over these unlucky victims, whispered a prayer for their safe passage, and nodded grimly at the authorities as she removed the extra clothing.

Next the hero focused on the blaze, working with the firefighters to contain its perimeter. She shouted in alarm when she saw a few of the building’s main supports start to wobble, and directed the firefighters to back up. As they were moving, however, the west side of the building started to collapse. Instinctively, she flew underneath the collapsing section, and managed to hold it up until everyone had moved to safety. Then she released the support she’d been holding, and watched as the remainder of that section fell to the ground.

For the next twenty minutes, Supergirl and the firefighters worked together to extinguish the flames. When the fire was out at last, she sank to the ground, feeling physically and emotionally drained. Volunteers immediately rushed over with bottles of water, which she accepted gratefully, along with her cape. A couple of hotel employees brought her some soap and damp towels to wipe the soot off of her face. She scrubbed her face and hands as well as the front of her costume, cleansing herself of the remnants of her ordeal. While she was scrubbing, the hero asked about Julia and the teenage girl, but was told only that they had been rushed to the hospital. 

Kara surveyed the scene, and spotted Cat Grant standing amidst the chaos, chatting with some of the guests she’d evacuated. She frowned. What was Cat doing here? She strode purposefully in that direction, and saw Cat break away from her conversation to intercept the hero.

In a low voice, meant only for Kara, Cat began to talk as they approached each other. “Supergirl, I had to come. I need to know what caused this fire, and I needed to be here to report on it. That’s what I do best.”

Kara nodded slowly, understanding that just as she had a job to do, so did Cat. Still, she kept walking toward the older woman, needing to connect with Cat. As she reached the media mogul, she whispered, “It’s bad, Cat,” shaking her head and forcing herself to hold back the tears in her eyes.

“I know,” Cat said quietly. She longed to put her arms around the superhero, but knew that her embrace might make Kara fall apart, so she settled for squeezing the younger woman’s hand. Then she summoned her most businesslike tone. “Supergirl, see if they need anything else, and then you’ll take me home.”

The hero nodded, somewhat relieved to be following orders. She talked briefly with the fire chief, shook his hand, and then returned. “Ready?” she asked Cat, who nodded. Kara picked her up, cradling her gently, and then took off into the night.


	32. Drained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry everyone, I know I've been slow. I'm finally at a point where I might have some time to write again, so hopefully I'll be able to speed things up a bit. I hope people are still reading, after all the time between chapters, and I hope you like this chapter. Not a lot of action...sorry.
> 
> Thanks so much for continuing to offer your comments and thoughts. They make it worth all the time I spend writing.

When the two women landed in front of Cat’s vacation home, the older woman immediately took the superhero’s hand and led her inside, knowing that Kara was hanging on by a thread. Carter was waiting on the love seat in the master bedroom, watching television coverage of the incident. He leapt to his feet, eyeing them worriedly, and then launched himself into Cat’s arms. 

Cat hugged him tightly while Kara watched, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Carter turned to hug Kara next, and was alarmed when he heard a quiet sob. “Kara?” he asked quietly. “Are you okay?”

Kara nodded quickly, not meeting his eyes. Carter frowned and looked to his mom for answers. “Is she hurt?” he asked.

“No, Carter. She’ll be all right,” Cat said softly, squeezing Kara’s hand. “Kara saw some terrible things tonight, things that are hard to forget.”

Carter nodded slowly, recalling that several people had died in the fire. Those images would be hard for anyone to handle, even for a superhero. In fact, he remembered seeing a shot of Supergirl talking to his mother, saying something and looking utterly devastated. This had undoubtedly been a difficult night for Kara, and he wanted to help. “What can I do?” he asked quietly, looking at his mom.

Cat felt a momentary flash of love at her son’s compassionate response, and she quickly assigned him a task. “Ask the housekeeper to prepare a late meal. Something high in carbs, maybe pasta. Kara will need to eat. When it’s ready, bring it in here. I’ll help her clean up first.”

Carter nodded firmly, and then left to find the housekeeper. Cat pulled Kara toward the bathroom. Once there, she turned on the jets in the hot tub. Then she reached up and unhooked Kara’s cape.

“Cat,” Kara began quietly, eyes downcast, as she shooed Cat’s hands away. “I can–“

“Kara,” Cat interjected firmly, placing her hand on Kara’s shoulder. “You’ve had a long night. Let me take care of you now.”

Kara sighed, wanting to tell Cat that she was fine, and didn’t need any help. But she didn’t trust herself to speak without crying, and she knew that Cat wasn’t about to take no for an answer. Reluctantly, she nodded. 

Cat circled around behind her and began to unzip the hero’s suit, her hands methodical and quick. Her breath caught at the sight of Kara’s bare skin – for the second time that night – but she forced herself not to let her hands linger as they brushed across the hero’s back and arms. As much as she wanted to caress every inch of the beautiful superhero, she knew that wasn’t what Kara needed right now.

Once she had removed the suit, she paused for a moment, forcing herself not to stare at Kara’s body. The hero stood in front of her, clad only in her underwear, reminding Cat of what they had started earlier. Cat quickly unclasped the bra from behind Kara’s back, and then slid the panties down Kara’s legs until she could pull them off of her feet. Still crouched on the floor, she said in a choked voice, “Get in.”

Wordlessly, Kara stepped forward, into the hot tub, and sank down heavily into the water. Cat quickly stripped off her own clothing, and then stepped into the tub herself, settling in next to Kara. She filled one hand with soap, and began to apply it to Kara’s body.

She started with Kara’s arms, gently massaging the soap into Kara’s skin, and then moved on to the Kryptonian’s shoulders and torso. At first, Kara tried to help, but each time, Cat shooed her hands away, until eventually Kara sank into a relaxed pose and closed her eyes. Cat kept her touch soft but methodical, refusing to linger and caress the impossibly soft skin that lay bare in front of her. She bit down hard on her lip, forcing herself not to think about all of the things she wanted to do to this body, and focused instead on her task.

Next, she swam around behind the hero and rubbed soap onto Kara’s back, kneading her hands into those strong shoulders and resisting the impulse to press kisses into the younger woman’s neck. When she had finished, she circled back around and focused on Kara’s legs, beginning near the top of her thighs and working her way downward. When she reached Kara’s feet, she spent a few moments massaging them, as Kara sighed with pleasure.

Finally, she grabbed the shampoo bottle, poured some into her hand, and kneaded the liquid gently into Kara’s hair, massaging the woman’s scalp as she worked. “Lie back,” she murmured, and then used the hand-sprayer to rinse out the shampoo. She repeated this process with conditioner, gently combing her hands through Kara’s hair as she rinsed it, until she was satisfied that she had removed all remnants of smoke and shampoo from Kara’s hair.

She quickly ran soap over her own body as well, but when Kara shifted to offer help, Cat gently shooed her away. “Relax, Kara,” she murmured. “Rest.” The hero nodded and closed her eyes again, enjoying the gentle pressure of jets pulsing behind her, and feeling the last of her tension dissipate into the water.

Cat got out of the tub first, grabbing a couple of towels and quickly drying herself off. When she was finished, she reached for Kara’s hand and led her out of the tub, carefully wrapping the young woman’s hair in a towel and wiping her skin dry. She placed a robe around Kara’s shoulders, and wrapped it around the hero. She led the young woman into her bedroom and gestured toward the side of the bed, where Kara obediently sat. There, she carefully dried and brushed the hero’s hair. Once finished, she dressed the Kryptonian in a flannel nightgown, kissing the hero on the cheek after she had finished buttoning it. “Food will be here soon,” she murmured. “Lie down.” She pulled the covers over Kara and kissed her on the forehead. Then she put on her own nightgown, and settled in next to the young woman on the bed.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Food’s ready,” announced Carter’s voice.

“Come in, Carter,” Cat responded. She motioned for him to place the food on a table near the bed, and grabbed the bowl of pasta. At Kara’s hesitant look, she reminded the hero,” You used a lot of calories tonight. You’ll need to eat something, even if you don’t feel hungry.”

Kara nodded in acknowledgement, and silently ate a few forkfuls of pasta. When she put the fork down, Carter looked at her scornfully, and said, “Kara, you need to eat more than that.”

Kara looked up in surprise, not having realized he was still there, but obediently picked up the fork and ate more pasta. “Finish the bowl,” Carter instructed, and Kara nodded and complied. Cat carefully hid a smile at her son’s commanding voice. It was the same tone she used with Kara, and the hero responded in exactly the same way.

When the bowl was empty, Carter placed the empty dish back on the tray and handed Kara a bottle of water. “I’ll bring this back to the kitchen,” he said, indicating the bowl. “Good night, mom,” he said, walking over to hug his mother. “Good night, Kara,” he said next, and hugged the hero just as tightly. 

“Good night Carter,” Cat said softly, “and thank you.” He nodded, grabbed the bowl, and left the room.

When Kara had finished the water bottle, Cat placed it on the table and then settled in next to Kara on the bed. “Come here,” she murmured, and pulled the superhero toward her. She wrapped her arms around Kara and just held the young woman, occasionally running her hands up and down Kara’s back.

For a while, they lay in silence. Kara’s eyes were closed, and she breathed in the scent of Cat as her mind began to process the horrific sights she’d seen. Cat murmured, “You don’t need to talk, unless you want to. Just know that I’m here for you.”

Eventually, she heard Kara begin to whisper a stream of words, as if she were chanting. She didn’t recognize the words, or even the language, and assumed it must be from Kara’s native tongue. She listened in silence, knowing that Kara needed to say these words, whatever they meant. When the hero finally went silent, Cat asked gently, “What was that?”

“A prayer, for the people who died,” Kara responded quietly. “I was asking Rao to guide them to the light.”

Cat nodded and squeezed the hero tighter. Again, the silence stretched between them, until Kara whispered, “I should’ve been there. I should’ve heard it earlier. Cat, all those people… How many lives could I have saved if I’d responded earlier?”

“Oh, Kara,” Cat murmured. “You can’t do that to yourself. How many more would’ve died if you hadn’t been there?”

Kara shook her head sadly. “Cat, did someone – did they target that hotel because of the conference?” Her eyes widened. “Or because of my presence?” The thought that perhaps she had put people in danger… it was unthinkable. But what if it was true?

Cat suspected that the fire was no accident, given the hotel’s location and guest list, but she needed to do her own research. “I don’t know, Kara,” she said honestly. “That’s part of what I need to investigate.”

Kara accepted that answer with a silent nod. Then she suddenly sat bolt upright. “Julia! I meant to check on her. They took her to the hospital. I need to–“

Cat interrupted her, placing a hand on Kara’s arm. “She has a broken arm, lots of cuts and burns, and a concussion. She’s going to be okay.” She left out the fact that Julia had lost a lot of blood, and that paramedics on the scene weren’t sure she was going to make it. The woman had pulled through. “We can visit her tomorrow, if you’d like.” She squeezed Kara’s hand, and then said, “Chloe is also at the hospital, doing well. She’s the teenage girl you found.”

Kara slumped in relief, and allowed Cat to pull her back into an embrace. She sighed, and lamented, “People died, Cat. They burned to death. It was so awful. How could anyone have wanted that?”

Cat shook her head. Some questions were unanswerable. “Kara, you did your best. You saved a lot of people. Now I need to figure out why it happened.”

“We, Cat,” Kara said softly. When the older woman looked at her for an explanation, she explained, “*We* have to figure it out. Together.”

Cat nodded, and hugged Kara tighter. “We will,” she agreed. They were a team now.


	33. Solace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... another chapter, with no end in sight. Writing is very slow right now, because I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this, but hopefully it'll speed up soon. Anyway, here's the next installment. Hope you like it.
> 
> As always, I really appreciate people taking the time to comment and let me know how they felt about the chapter. It helps a lot. 
> 
> Hope you all are well.

Kara opened her eyes to a room bathed in sunlight. She vividly remembered being curled into the warmth of Cat’s arms as she fell asleep, but unfortunately, the spot beside her was now empty. She stretched and sat up, recalling more of the previous evening. Her girlfriend had been amazing, and Kara didn’t know how she would’ve gotten through the night without Cat’s help. In addition to helping Kara bathe and eat, Cat had held the superhero in her arms all night. Kara had experienced several nightmares, mostly centered around the faces of those she’d been unable to save. Each time, Cat had woken her up, whispered gentle reassurances, and held her close until she fell back asleep. Cat had guided her through the worst hours with love and compassion. With a stab of guilt, Kara realized that the older woman probably hadn’t slept much, and Cat needed the sleep more than she did.

She felt tired and drained. She was fine, physically, but last night’s events had taken an emotional toll, despite the help of Cat and Carter. She couldn’t stop thinking about the people she’d failed, those faces forever burned into her memory. As she stood up, she felt her body soak in the rays of the sun, recharging itself. If only she could recharge her mind just as easily.

Just then, Cat appeared in the doorway, carrying a tray stacked high with pancakes. Her eyes softened at the sight of Kara, and she gestured to the superhero to sit down. “Eat some breakfast, Kara. You need the calories.”

“Cat,” Kara began weakly, wanting to apologize for keeping the older woman up all night. Before she could continue, however, Cat interrupted her.

“Kara, you’ve seen some unimaginable things, and no one should have to shoulder those burdens alone. We’re in this together, remember?” Cat put down the tray and stepped toward Kara, wrapping her arms around the younger woman. She kissed Kara gently on the lips, and then said softly, “Thank you for letting me help.”

Kara put her arms around Cat and held her close for a moment. “I love you,” she whispered.

Cat kissed her on the cheek, and then smiled and said, “Eat. I made enough pancakes for an army.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the two women finally emerged, Carter was waiting for them in the living room. The TV was on, but muted, and he was reading something on his iPad. Without looking up, he offered, “Kara, you’re a legend here in Paris.”

As Kara looked at Carter in confusion, Cat smiled. “Did you see the petition to rename the city Krypton in her honor?” she asked her son.

Carter glanced at his mom and grinned. “How could I miss it? Kara, you’re all they can talk about. They think renaming the city will make you stay.”

Kara shook her head, mystified. “I just put out a fire.”

“Oh Kara, it’s so much more than that,” Cat said softly. “Look,” she said, pointing at the TV. The screen was showing a montage of Supergirl photos – shots of the hero flying people to safety, leaving her cape wrapped around a scared teenage girl, holding up the building as firefighters ran to safety, and kneeling next to a row of white sheets with her eyes closed, saying a prayer for those who had died. The final picture showed Cat talking with Supergirl as the hero fought to hold in her tears.

Kara looked away, embarrassed. “I look like an emotional wreck in those pictures.”

“No,” Cat corrected, “you look compassionate and caring. Everyone can see how difficult this was for you, but you did it anyway. That’s why you’re a hero.”

Kara still looked uncertain, and Cat could see that they would need to revisit this conversation later. “Let’s go,” she said instead. “I know you want to see how Julia is doing.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After experiencing a thoroughly overwhelming hero’s welcome when she entered the hospital, the superhero was relieved to finally reach Julia’s room. Peering in, she saw a nurse’s eyes light up at the sight of her, and groaned inwardly when the nurse eagerly beckoned her into the room. Cat carefully suppressed a smile as she nudged the hero forward.

Julia lay in a hospital bed, looking extremely pale. One arm was propped up in an air cast, while the other had been fitted with an IV. She had cuts and burns on her legs, as well as a large gash on her forehead. This vulnerable patient looked nothing like the confident, powerful woman that Kara remembered from just one day earlier.

Seeing that Julia’s eyes were shut, Kara hesitated, but before she could turn to leave, the nurse announced, “Julia, you have a visitor.” Turning toward Kara, the nurse explained, “She’s not sleeping. She’s just in some pain. I’ve given her something, but it’ll be a few minutes before it works.”

Julia’s eyes flickered open. Upon spotting the hero, she smiled weakly. “Supergirl,” she said softly. “You’re all anyone can talk about.”

Kara sighed, and heard Cat cough to stifle a laugh behind her. The superhero stepped closer to the bed as the nurse left the room. “How are you feeling?” she asked quietly.

“I’ve been better,” Julia said with a wry smile, “but I’m alive, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad,” Supergirl said, trying desperately to keep the emotion out of her voice.

“Have I met you before, Supergirl?”

“I… I don’t think so, why?” answered the hero, rather unconvincingly.

“Well, for one thing, you knew my name when you saw me last night, and you seemed really upset that I was hurt." Kara cringed slightly, having hoped that Julia wouldn’t remember her slip-up. “And something about you just seems so familiar…” Pausing, Julia narrowed her eyes and surveyed the superhero for a moment, while Kara continued to squirm.

“Supergirl read some background information on the conference attendees,” Cat interjected smoothly. “She must have remembered you from your photo.” She shook her head, and gazed at the hero for a moment. “You do have a rather impressive memory, Supergirl.”

“Well, yes, I… I read your file, and I was so startled to see you lying there –” Kara stopped talking when she saw Julia try, and fail, to sit bolt upright. The hero rushed over to help Julia regain her balance as the woman flinched in pain. “Take it easy, Julia,” she murmured. “You need to let your body heal.”

But Julia was shaking her head and smiling. “I’ll be damned.” She laughed, and then continued, “Kara Danvers, I knew you were special.” Thinking for a moment, her brow creased. “But how did you… Last night… ” She blinked in confusion. “Do you have a twin sister or something?”

Kara began a series of stuttering protests until she was stopped by Cat’s hand on her arm. “You’re a terrible liar, dear,” the media mogul murmured softly. “It’s embarrassing.” To Julia, she said, “Supergirl doesn’t have a twin. And as capable as Kara may seem, she is not a superhero.”

“Bullshit,” Julia said simply. She stared at the superhero, her pain forgotten. “It all fits now. The languages, the brilliance, Cat’s infatuation with you...” At those words, Cat flinched, but maintained her impassive expression.

Julia gestured toward Supergirl and continued, “I know those eyes. I’ve been dreaming about them.” She laughed. “Kara, I have the biggest crush on you.” The hero blushed a deep shade of crimson at those words, but her awkward protests were cut off as Julia continued speaking. “You’re ridiculously gorgeous, and you’re obviously smart, because you speak at least six languages, but it’s your kindness that really attracted me to you. At first I figured you must be a pushover, because you’re so sweet to everyone, but then I saw you dump that drink on Pierre’s head.” She grinned. “At that point, I was completely smitten.”

Cat couldn’t help herself; she started to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Kara’s secret had been compromised not because of Kara’s inability to lie, but because she was simply impossible to resist. Kara and Julia stared at her for a moment as she tried to regain control, but the mortified look on Kara’s face set her off again. When her laughter had finally died down, she looked at Julia and asked simply, “Can we trust you?”

“Cat, you’ve always been one of my heroes, and so has Supergirl,” Julia responded firmly. “I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your safety.” Then she grinned, and turned to Kara. “I still want you to consider my job offer, though.”

Kara shifted awkwardly and mumbled something, until Cat interjected, smiling, “You’re not taking her away from me. But if you ever need help, from either one of us, you know how to reach us.”

Julia nodded at Cat, and then turned toward Kara. “Brilliant, beautiful, and a superhero,” Julia lamented, frowning. “Cat, I kind of hate you right now.”

Cat laughed and squeezed Julia’s hand. “I hope you feel better soon.”

Kara stepped closer to Julia, and murmured, “I’m really glad you’re okay.” On a whim, she leaned over and kissed Julia’s cheek. Handing the woman a slip of paper with her number, she added, “Call if you need anything. I always have time for my friends.” She waved and left the room.

“I never knew you were such a flirt,” Cat muttered, following her out the door.

The superhero laughed. “Are you jealous?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow. At Cat’s glare, she relented. “Cat, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.” Smiling at the older woman, she whispered, “You know I’m yours.”

Cat squeezed her arm in acknowledgement before leading her toward a room further down the hall. “Chloe,” she said, gesturing toward the door. “The girl you rescued.”

Supergirl nodded and knocked lightly on the door. After hearing a voice instruct her to come in, she opened the door and stepped inside, Cat following a few steps behind.

The girl on the bed had wraps completely covering her left hand and arm, as well as a small bandage above her left eye. There was also a scrape on her right cheek, and her eyes looked haunted and tired. Seated next to her was a woman who appeared to be in her forties, looking equally tired. At the sight of the hero, however, she leapt to her feet. “Supergirl!” she exclaimed.

Kara smiled and moved to shake the stranger’s hand, but was surprised when the woman immediately flung herself into the hero’s arms. “Thank you, thank you so much,” gushed the woman, babbling on about how grateful she was for the hero. After a moment, she released Kara, but continued her nonstop stream of words directed at the hero. She eventually managed to explain that she was Chloe’s mother, and had been downstairs talking with the manager at the front desk when the fire started. Firefighters had refused to let her go upstairs to find Chloe, despite her frantic pleas. If it hadn’t been for Supergirl, she was convinced she would have lost her daughter.

Cat stepped forward and introduced herself, asking the woman to share more of the details of her story, and allowing Kara to focus on Chloe. The superhero turned toward the girl, whose eyes were wide. “Chloe,” Supergirl said softly, “how are you?”

“I’m all right,” the girl said quietly. “Thank you for saving me.” Her eyes, dulled by pain and sadness, told a different story.

Kara’s brow knotted with concern. She stepped toward the girl and asked, “Are you in much pain?”

Rather than answering, the girl shrugged and lowered her eyes. Kara could see her struggling not to cry. She sat down next to the bed and placed her hand gently on Chloe’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here,” the hero said softly. She saw a tear run down Chloe’s face, and frowned. “What is it?” she asked gently, feeling completely out of her depth.

“My mom says our insurance won’t cover the hospital bill because we’re out of the country,” Chloe said quietly, glancing over to make sure that her mother wasn’t listening. “My bill is already way more than we can pay, and now they want to do another surgery to remove some infected tissue. If I wait until I get home, the infection might spread, and I could lose my arm, but we can’t afford this.”

Kara fought down a surge of anger at the injustice of the situation. The family would be in debt because Chloe had the misfortune of being in a hotel where there was a fire. The girl had nearly died, and now she was faced with the weight of crushing debt. She forced herself to take a calming breath, and focused on the teary patient. “I’ll take care of it, Chloe,” she said quietly. Thanks to Cat’s efforts, she had the money to help.

Chloe immediately started to shake her head. “No, Supergirl, you saved my life. You’ve done more than enough. I can’t possibly take your money.” She closed her eyes in despair. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Before Kara could respond, she heard Cat’s voice behind her. “Don’t be ridiculous, Chloe,” the older woman admonished. “Supergirl won’t have to pay.” She stepped forward and offered, ”The hotel will take good care of you, once they realize what bad publicity it would be if their fire put a family into debt.”

Chloe’s eyes widened, and she looked at Cat in surprise. “Really?” she asked, incredulous. “But they said… I mean, my mom called, and they wouldn’t… Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” Cat said with conviction. “I’ll make sure of it.” 

“I really hope you’re right,” the girl whispered, not quite ready to believe it.

Kara smiled. “Trust me, Chloe. No one says no to Ms. Grant.” Kara shot a loving, grateful smile in the older woman’s direction. She knew that Cat could work miracles, and would do what was necessary to take care of Chloe and her family.

Chloe’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Thank you,” she offered weakly.

“Chloe, I’m just glad you’re okay,” Kara said softly. “Ms. Grant will take care of the bill. You just focus on getting better.” She smiled at the girl, who offered the hero a tentative smile in return. Seeing that Chloe looked exhausted, she decided to let the girl sleep. “I’ll come back to visit you soon, okay?” she said, squeezing Chloe’s healthy hand. 

The teenager nodded sleepily, and responded, “Thank you for everything, Supergirl. Thank you, Ms. Grant.” A moment later, she had drifted into unconsciousness.

Kara turned around and was alarmed to notice tears in the mother’s eyes. “Thank you for your help,” the woman said gratefully to Cat. “You are just as much of a hero as Supergirl.”

Kara grinned. “Oh, she’s much more of a hero than I am. She’s amazing.”


	34. Investigating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had some more time to write lately, which I guess is mostly a good thing. Regardless, here's another chapter.
> 
> Thank you all for continuing to read, and for your comments. They mean so much to me, every single one of them. After I post, there's a feeling of vulnerability, and those comments help me to feel like people are with me on this journey - even if all it says is that you made it to the end of the chapter. :) So thank you all, so very much.

After leaving the hospital, Kara and Cat spent a couple of hours at the hotel, asking questions. Guests at the hotel had been temporarily relocated, but city officials were swarming the building, looking for clues as to the fire’s origin.

The women quickly learned that an anti-alien group had claimed responsibility for the fire, but so far, those claims hadn’t been verified. Off the record, a law enforcement official had confirmed to Cat that it was no accident. An explosive device, planted in an empty conference room, had been identified as the source of the fire, and that device wasn’t something they’d ever seen before. Upon hearing that, Kara sent a picture to Alex, and the agent responded that she’d look into it.

Nine people had perished, and all nine bodies had been recovered, thanks to Supergirl’s efforts. An additional twelve people had been taken to the hospital, including Julia, Chloe, three staff members who were injured by the initial explosion but had escaped the building, and seven people who were being treated for smoke inhalation. Several officials opined that if Supergirl hadn’t been there, the death toll would’ve been much higher.

Cat stopped to chat with – or rather, threaten – the hotel manager. Within five minutes, she had assurances that Chloe’s medical expenses would be fully covered. Meanwhile, Kara searched for more information about the group behind for the attack – and it was, indeed, a terrorist attack. Of that, she was certain.

In her investigation, Kara learned that the group claiming responsibility was an anti-alien organization called Humans First. HF proclaimed that they had started the fire to punish those who had allowed an alien to dictate the future. They were disturbed that conference members seemed content to follow Supergirl’s lead, and set the fire to remind the world that it was dangerous to take instructions from aliens, and those who did were traitors.

The more Kara heard about this group, the more convinced she became that HF had started the fire. With a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she informed Cat of this new information. The media mogul squeezed her hand and softly reminded her that she was not responsible for the actions of terrorists, but Kara just frowned and shrugged. Regardless of whose fault it was, people had been hurt.

Cat fired a quick email off to CatCo’s research department, asking them for background information on HF. Who was in charge, and where did their funding come from? What kinds of resources were at their disposal? At Kara’s suggestion, she copied Winn on the email. If there was a money trail, he would find it.

Having gathered what information they could from the crime scene, Kara and Cat climbed into the limo and headed home to change. Tonight’s formal dinner and closing ceremonies marked the end of the summit, and it was important that they attend. On the ride to Cat’s vacation home, Kara quickly typed up their notes at superspeed, and then Cat began the process of shaping those notes into a story. They would publish only the facts, keeping all speculation about HF to themselves for the moment. Kara, meanwhile, started work on another article, a human interest piece focusing on victims of the fire.

“Kara, you’re an excellent writer,” mused Cat, one eyebrow raised as she peered at Kara’s computer screen. “It appears we’ve found yet another one of your talents.”

Kara’s eyes widened at Cat’s words. “Really?” she responded, overwhelmed. “I’m just trying not to embarrass myself in front of the expert.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kara,” Cat scoffed, rolling her eyes at the hero’s modesty. “This is outstanding. Of course, I’m sure you’d excel in any job.” She eyed Kara thoughtfully. “In fact, we should talk about that. What do you want your future in CatCo to look like?”

“My… future?” Kara responded hesitantly. “I thought…” She paused, trying to hide her disappointment. “I like what I’m doing, helping you,” she finished softly, staring at the floor.

Cat smiled despite herself, and admitted, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She could see the younger woman visibly relax, and her heart melted. “But Kara, you’re too talented to be my assistant anymore. And given what’s happening between us…” She cupped Kara’s jaw with her hand, forcing the younger woman to look at her. “We should consider placing you in a different department, with a different boss.” At the hurt expression on Kara’s face, she explained, “I don’t want anyone to think I’m favoring you because of our relationship.”

Kara nodded slowly, her brow creased in thought. Intellectually, she understood what Cat was saying, and she knew that the older woman was just trying to look out for her. Practically speaking, this was an incredible opportunity for her, and she should have been flattered. In truth, however, Kara had taken this job to learn from her hero, and to work side-by-side with the most powerful woman in National City. She didn’t want to be shuffled off to another department, or to work solely as a writer or researcher. She liked the challenge of her current position, in which she was able to use her wide range of talents. She liked being able to help Cat in a multitude of ways, from financial planning to editorial decisions. She shook her head. “I don’t want to go anywhere else, Cat. With you, I get to work in a lot of different areas, and fix things before they reach your desk. If I accepted a new position, I’d be stuck working on one thing – writing articles, analyzing financial reports, doing research. I think I’d be much less useful, and I wouldn’t get to be with you every day.”

Cat frowned. She should have been surprised by Kara’s response – after all, who wouldn’t want to further one’s own career? But Kara was no ordinary employee, and never had been. Plus… Cat didn’t particularly want to give up her talented protégé. Fine, then. She would need to be creative, because Kara *was* getting a promotion, whether she wanted it or not.

“All right,” she said thoughtfully, “then we’ll need to create a new position.” She tapped her finger a few times, thinking about what Kara did best – or rather, where her talents were best utilized, since she did everything well. After a minute or so, she said, “Chief Information Analyst,” and nodded to herself. Kara’s greatest contributions had involved synthesizing and communicating information – whether that involved emails, spreadsheets, notes, articles, meetings, or personal conversations. This position would allow Kara to continue in her current capacity, while giving her a title with more authority. “You’ll need an office,” she continued, “preferably near mine.” She made a note to talk with a contractor about constructing such an office. She continued, “I’ll hire a new secretary to manage my schedule, run errands, and process paperwork. I want you to focus more on the important things that you do – making sense of the data and information that is sent my way. You’ll review all legal, statistical, and financial reports before I see them, and you’ll also have full editorial privileges.” She scribbled a few more notes to herself – a list of duties to be included in Kara’s job description, as well as a reminder to contact Pam in human resources regarding Kara’s role, salary, and account access. When she finally looked up at Kara, she was amused to see the young woman opening and closing her mouth, like a fish. “Spit it out, Kara,” she said, hiding a smile.

“I don’t… Are you really…” Kara paused, trying to collect her thoughts. “Cat, I’m just your assistant. You can’t make me the… the chief *anything.* I haven’t earned that.”

“That’s the great thing about being in charge,” Cat said drily. “I can do anything I want. And honestly, Kara, it’ll be fine. They all know you’ve been more than an assistant for some time now.” She hoped that was true, although she was afraid that much of Kara’s work had gone under the radar. That would need to change. She would have to make more of an effort to acknowledge Kara’s talents, and over time, skeptics would learn that the woman’s promotion had been well-deserved. Perhaps Cat’s reputation would take a hit in the short term, but she could handle that. It was the right thing to do, and that’s what mattered.

“Are you… Are you sure?” Kara asked nervously. “I don’t want people to think less of you. I can just… Maybe I could go be a reporter for a while, and work toward becoming an editor eventually. Or an accountant. I could work on the business end of things. Then you could promote me when you felt I was ready, or you could–“

“Kara,” Cat said in a commanding voice, interrupting the babbling superhero. Kara’s rambling speech ground to a halt. “You don’t need to prove yourself to me, or to anyone else. You’re the best person for this job, and in any case, you’ve been doing it for quite a while. We’re just making it official.” She smiled slightly. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

Kara still looked doubtful, but she nodded reluctantly, and then asked in a low voice, “Do you really think I’m ready for this?”

“I know you are,” Cat said confidently. She pulled the hero toward her, brushed Kara’s lips with her own, and looked into Kara’s eyes. She murmured, “You’ve earned this, Kara. I believe in you.”

Kara stared at her, eyes wide, and then she smiled, her eyes sparkling with love and joy. “Thank you for believing in me, Cat,” she said softly. Cat smiled tenderly at the hero and ran her fingers down Kara’s cheek. At that, Kara leaned forward and kissed her. At first, the kiss was gentle – hesitant, even – and then it was like something snapped inside Kara and she was kissing Cat as if her life depended on it.

Kara’s phone beeped with a text from Alex, interrupting their intimate moment. She glanced down and saw only the words “incendiary device from Lord.” She paled, and then turned the phone to show Cat. The older woman sighed and nodded grimly, having suspected that Max would be involved in this venture. Lord Technologies had been banned from the Climate Change Summit, after all. It was their own fault – they had been issued an ultimatum regarding their factories in Mexico, which had turned the surrounding areas into environmental disaster areas. These factories had impacted villages by dumping chemical waste into lakes and rivers and releasing toxins into the air as well. Cancer and mortality rates in these areas had skyrocketed, wildlife had disappeared, and water sources were unusable, but the company refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing. There were also stories of human rights violations within the factories, but these were unsubstantiated, as the officials monitoring the factories had been well compensated for their silence.

The council organizing the summit had debated the merits of Lord Technologies’ participation, given the potential benefits of including the world’s foremost technological giant. Ultimately, however, they decided that they could not, in good conscience, allow the company to participate, although they offered to reconsider their decision if Lord Technologies took steps to repair the damage they had caused. Max had been furious with the decision, proclaiming that he was one of the world’s leading scientists on environmental issues, and that none of the claims brought against his factories had been proven in court. (The judges hearing those cases had reportedly been handsomely compensated as well.) Still, the council’s decision was final, and Max had been forced to stay home.

Given his anger over the situation, his anti-alien bias, and his disdain for the law, Max could certainly have been involved in last night’s attack. Indeed, finding out that his technology was used to start the fire pointed a finger squarely in his direction. Cat sent another request to her team of researchers, looking for connections between Max Lord and Humans First, while Kara texted her sister with the same question. Then both women resumed writing, determined to expose the truth.


	35. Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to keep slogging my way through this, although I haven't quite figured out how things are going to work out in the end. But as Beryl4 correctly predicted, there's more to come from HF. A little bit of action in this chapter, for once.
> 
> THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to those of you who are still reading, after all these months, and especially for all of your encouragement. It really does mean a lot to me.

Cat sent Kara off to change into her final formal outfit. For the past several nights, Kara had emerged from the guest room looking more beautiful than it should be possible for anyone to be. At this point, Cat was confident that she could handle it like a grown adult. When Kara appeared, however, she realized that she had vastly underestimated the power of Kara’s beauty. Adorned in a simple sleeveless red dress, the hero’s presence reduced Cat into a gawking, speechless mess.

After a moment, Kara asked Cat if everything was okay, and Cat managed to recover the use of her voice. “You are too beautiful for words,” she murmured, causing the hero to blush and smile. She stepped toward Kara, admitting, “I wish we didn’t have to go anywhere tonight. As gorgeous as you look in that dress, I would much rather see you without it.”

Her words had the desired effect, reducing the superhero to a stammering fool. Grinning with satisfaction, Cat headed to the bathroom to get herself ready.

XXXXXXXXXX

As the two women entered the grand ballroom tonight, Cat knew they made a striking couple – the sleek, sexy multimillionaire and the gorgeous, irresistible young woman – and she reminded Kara to smile for the cameras, knowing their photos would be plastered all over gossip magazines. She could only hope that Supergirl’s stunt double had ended any speculation about Kara being a superhero, although they could always arrange for another dual sighting if necessary. Tonight, however, she was determined to enjoy herself and focus on the amazing woman who stood by her side.

Just as they had at the opening dinner, Cat and Kara conversed with most of the conference guests. This time, however, fewer attendees flirted with Kara, having realized that she was most definitely off the market. Kara did have a chance to utilize her language skills again, impressing several diplomats, and chatted knowledgeably with visitors from various parts of the world. She also chatted briefly with Karl Weber, who then politely asked if she had time for a few questions. To Cat’s amusement, the German CEO had come prepared with a typed list of questions from his engineers, and Kara patiently answered every one, even taking the time to draw diagrams and write down specific instructions. 

When Karl had exhausted his list, he thanked her profusely and then handed her a thick envelope. “I know this is not the time or place, but I would like you to look this over at your convenience.” He smiled at the two women and scurried away.

Kara eyed the envelope warily, as if afraid that something was going to jump out of it. “It can’t hurt to look,” Cat said, taking the envelope out of Kara’s hand and opening it to examine the contents. It was a contract, offering to pay Kara a ridiculous sum of money with absolutely no commitment on Kara’s part, other than a promise to “consider” taking or returning the CEO’s phone calls twice a year. “Wow,” whispered the hero, shaking her head. “I can’t accept this. He already knows he can call me with questions. He doesn’t need to pay me.”

Cat rolled her eyes. Of course Kara wouldn’t want to accept the company’s money, feeling she was taking advantage of her Kryptonian upbringing. However, she knew exactly how to sway Kara’s opinion, and didn’t feel the least bit guilty about it. She murmured softly, “Think of all the environmental research this money could fund.” Kara frowned, but Cat could see that she was considering the possibility. Cat bit back a smile.

Finally, it was time for dinner, and the two women found themselves seated with the same group they had met at the opening banquet...minus Julia, of course. The remaining women peppered Cat and Kara with questions about the mysterious Supergirl, whose speech had raised questions about her time in the Phantom Zone, her relationship with her cousin, and her childhood on Krypton. Cat deftly avoided giving away anything personal, but told a few random stories about Supergirl, to the delight of her audience. Kara also chimed in with a few stories, pretending that the hero had talked with her about life on Krypton. The women were enthralled, to the point where Cat eventually leaned over and whispered into Kara’s ear, “How did you manage to steal my fan club?” She winked and squeezed the hero’s hand while Kara burst into surprised laughter.

As dessert was being served, Kara suddenly tensed. Cat looked at her with concern, and Kara stammered something about needing to use the bathroom. “I’m coming with you,” declared the media mogul, and Kara nodded and quickly stood up. The two women walked briskly out the ballroom door, and when they turned a corner, Kara spun around to address the older woman.

“Cat, a truck just pulled up behind the building, and two people got out. They’re running toward the entrance. I have to –“

“Wait,” Cat said firmly. “Kara, they could be doing just about anything. How do you know –“

Her question was interrupted by a loud crash, as if something had been thrown through one of the ballroom windows. In an instant, Supergirl was standing beside her, and then the hero rushed quickly into the ballroom. What she saw, however, brought fear into her eyes.

In the center of the ballroom lay an incendiary device just like the one at the hotel, and most likely she had only seconds, at most, before it exploded. Using super-speed, she grabbed the device and flew into the night sky, back through the hole in the window. As she passed through, she felt the remainder of the window shatter around her and cringed, hoping that no one would be hit by the glass shards. She continued to fly straight upward at top speed, trying to reach a safe distance from the building before it exploded. After a couple of seconds, however, she stopped and stared at the device in her hand. Why wasn’t anything happening? She examined the inside of the device, and to her dismay, realized that it was not going to explode. It was just a decoy.

Filled with dread, she spun around to look at the ballroom, just in time to see two separate explosions, one on each side of the room. She realized that she’d been played. They had thrown the first device to distract her, getting her out of the way before the real explosions occurred.

Supergirl flew at top speed back into the ballroom. She instantly used her freeze-breath to put out one fire, then the other. Then she surveyed the room, looking for casualties. She didn’t have to look far. Scattered around each explosion were several unmoving bodies. She spun around and saw two people running for the truck that she’d spotted earlier. Should she catch the villains or tend to the wounded? She hated having to choose, but helping people would always come first, of course. Approaching the site of one of the blasts, Supergirl asked, “What can I do?”

A Swiss diplomat turned toward her and responded, “Two people look like they’re in bad shape, Supergirl. Can you take them to the hospital?”

She nodded grimly and walked over to see what she could do. The first man lay motionless on the floor, having been knocked over by the blast. His leg was in bad shape, as if the bomb had exploded right on top of it. She scanned his bone structure, and could see that a couple of ribs were broken as well. In addition, there was some swelling in his brain, probably from hitting the ground after the blast.

She turned toward the second man and was dismayed to see that he had a deep gash on his arm, from which blood was steadily streaming out, if the pool below his arm was any indication. He was conscious, but barely, and he appeared to have lost a lot of blood. Sensing that his case was more urgent, she cradled him carefully in her arms, trying to keep the arm elevated, and took him toward the hospital as fast as she dared. She flew through the doors of the ER, to the astonishment of the receptionist, and said simply, “He needs help.” The receptionist stared silently, but a nurse standing nearby motioned for Supergirl to follow, and led her toward an empty gurney. The hero placed him gently onto the bed, and a second nurse ran over with medical supplies. Supergirl nodded her thanks and took off.

Upon returning to the ballroom, she scooped up the remaining man, trying hard not to jostle him too much, and rushed him toward the hospital, keeping to a tolerable speed to avoid making him even more uncomfortable. When she entered the ER this time, she was immediately directed toward an unoccupied gurney by the now-recovered receptionist, and she lay the man down as softly as possible. She quickly relayed what she knew – “bad leg, broken ribs, concussion” – to a doctor standing nearby. As she took off, she heard the doctor shouting instructions as he rolled the man’s gurney down the hall.

Knowing that she had done what she could to help, the hero surveyed the area for any sign of the attackers, but found none. She sighed, and decided that whatever else she needed to do tonight, it could be done as Kara Danvers. She changed back and walked back into the ballroom. This time, the hero immediately spotted Cat, and breathed a sigh of relief. In the rush to take care of the wounded, she hadn’t had a chance to make sure that Cat was okay. The media mogul seemed unaffected by the blasts, however, and was currently helping another woman limp over to a chair. 

Hearing ambulance sirens just a couple of blocks away, Kara surveyed the remaining casualties, and was relieved to see that none of them appeared to be serious. There were lots of burns, cuts, and bruises, and a few people had been knocked unconscious by the blast, but she didn’t see anything else life-threatening. 

She hurried over to Cat, who was talking quietly with a couple of the injured victims. Upon seeing Kara, the older woman eyed the hero searchingly for a moment, and then wrapped her arms around Kara and hugged her tightly. Before letting her go, Cat asked quietly, “Are you all right?”

Kara nodded, biting her lip and forcing herself to remain composed. She had screwed up, and it had resulted in a number of injuries. Fortunately, she’d been able to limit the damage, but that was no consolation to the two men in the ER. These injuries were her fault.

Cat held Kara for a moment longer, knowing that the hero was blaming herself. Then she stepped back, turned to the other guests, and commanded, “Let’s make room for the EMTs,” just as medical professionals streamed into the ballroom. Uninjured guests quickly cleared the area, moving to the rear of the ballroom. Cat and Kara stayed for a moment longer, making sure that medics had everything they needed, and then turned to join the other attendees, when Kara suddenly froze. “Mr. Weber?” she gasped, rushing to the CEO’s side and kneeling next to him. Karl Weber was slumped in a chair, his face pale, holding a towel to his forehead. Kara could see blood seeping through the towel. “Are you all right?” asked Kara desperately. “How can I help?”

The German smiled weakly. “I’ll be fine, Ms. Danvers,” he responded. “It’ll take more than that to eliminate me. It’s just a cut.” Then he winked. “If you really want to help, you can sign that contract.”

Kara sighed in relief and touched his arm. “Promise me you’ll be okay, and I’ll sign it tonight.”

Karl beamed. “Ms. Danvers, you have a deal.” He held out his free hand to shake.

Kara smiled weakly and nodded, shaking the man’s hand briefly. Then she stood up and felt Cat wrap an arm possessively around her waist, pulling her close.

“He’ll be all right, Kara,” Cat said gently. “Let’s allow the doctors to do their job.”

Kara nodded dully and allowed Cat to lead her across the room. The older woman found a couple of empty chairs and motioned for Kara to sit. Cat sat down next to the hero and leaned close. “Kara, we need to get to the bottom of this. What do you remember seeing?” Cat was an investigative journalist at heart, of course, but she did this for Kara’s sake. She could see that Kara felt she’d failed in her duty, and wanted the young woman to focus on something other than her own shortcomings. They could talk about it later, but right now, Kara needed to do something to help.

Kara closed her eyes, concentrating on the details she remembered. She described the vehicle first, including the license plate number. “Very good,” Cat said softly. “Now tell me about the two people. Who were they?”

“They were… there was one man and one woman, both young, like in their twenties. They were speaking English, with American accents. The woman was in charge. She said something about… They had orders from someone. She kept referring to the person who hired them as a ‘he’.” Kara looked up suddenly, her eyes intense. “They said something about Supergirl, wondering if she was still around. I didn’t really process it earlier, but I remember that now.” She sank her head into her hands. “I should’ve known it was a decoy.”

Cat needed to keep the hero talking, rather than allowing her to dwell on what might have happened. “What else?” she asked, insistent.

Kara was silent for a moment, and then lifted her head to look at Cat. “One of them said something about… They’re flying home tonight. We need to search the airports. What if–“

“Relax, Kara. I’ll take care of it,” Cat said calmly, dialing a number on her phone as she walked toward an unoccupied corner of the room. She spoke quietly to the person on the other end, relating the details Kara had given her, and then hung up and sent a couple of texts, including one to Carter, stating that both women were okay. After returning to her seat next to Kara, she said, “The information you’ve given me should be more than enough to find them. Most likely, the license plate alone will be enough.”

Kara nodded, looking somewhat less miserable. Cat took Kara’s hand in her own and squeezed it. “Kara, you did everything you could, and people are alive right now because of you. Don’t you dare blame yourself for this.” She yanked Kara’s arm toward her, and pulled the younger woman into her arms. “You were amazing, just like always,” Cat said softly, and kissed her on the cheek.

Kara smiled at her then. It was a weak smile, but it was progress, and Cat accepted it gladly. Then they settled in to wait.


	36. Winding Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it just feels like everything is wrong, and in those times, I escape the world by writing fiction, starring the kinds of people I wish i could be. I hope this chapter came out okay - it was a struggle.
> 
> Thank you for continuing to read, and for always being there to encourage me. I hope you all are well, and I welcome any feedback you have.

Two hours later, the occupants of the ballroom were finally dismissed by police. Officers had interviewed every guest, but received frustratingly little information. Everyone knew what had happened, but no one knew why, or who was behind the attack. Fortunately, they had received some information from Supergirl (through an unidentified informant, of course), and French authorities were working hard to follow those leads.

Cat and Kara emerged from the building to an overwhelming throng of reporters and photographers. French news had been covering the attack, and it seemed that the entire city of Paris wanted to see the carnage firsthand. As they stepped onto the pavement, cameras flashing everywhere, they heard questions being shouted from all sides.

“What happened, Cat?”

“Is it true that Supergirl was there?”

“Was this a terrorist attack?”

“Do you know who’s responsible for this?”

Cat hesitated for a moment. Kara looked at her in surprise as she stopped walking, but Cat just held up a hand for silence. Instantly, the noise died down and reporters edged closer. “Tonight, someone launched an attack on the attendees of the Climate Change Summit,” Cat said in a clear and confident voice. “Once again, Supergirl saved us from a potential disaster. However, the investigation has only just begun. My company will go to *great* lengths–” At that, her eyes flashed with determination – “to find the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice.” She nodded, took Kara’s hand, and began to walk toward the limo.

A second or two later, reporters resumed shouting questions from every direction. “Are you taking this personally, Cat?” inquired one reporter.

Cat decided to answer that question. “This attack was intended to hurt innocent people. Of course I’m angry. The cowards who carried out this attack need to answer for their actions.”

More questions followed them as the limo door was opened in front of them, and Kara winced upon hearing one rather blunt inquiry. “Ms. Danvers, what is the nature of your relationship with Ms. Grant?” She couldn’t ignore that question. The press needed to understand that this was not some sordid affair. She spun around, glared at the reporter, and stated firmly, “I love her.” Then she stepped into the limo after Cat and pulled the door closed behind them.

Kara sagged into the seat and closed her eyes, exhausted from the events of the evening and annoyed that her relationship with Cat had become anyone else’s business. She vaguely heard the privacy screen being engaged, but gave herself another moment to calm down before opening her eyes. They flew open in surprise, however, when she felt Cat climbing on top of her.

Cat settled into her lap, legs straddling the superhero, and kissed her gently on the lips. “I love you too, Kara,” the older woman murmured, and kissed her again. Kara’s public declaration of love had melted her heart. She couldn’t remember anyone ever declaring their love for her, and certainly not with such conviction. What she had with Kara was special, and she never wanted to let go.

Kara pulled her close, and Cat rested her head on the superhero’s shoulder. Kara kissed the older woman’s forehead, and then lifted their bodies in the air, repositioning them so that they were lying down on the seat with their arms around each other. They lay there, wrapped in each other, for the remainder of the ride home.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When at last the limo pulled up to Cat’s vacation home, it was nearly midnight. The two women reluctantly untangled themselves, and they walked into the house, hand in hand. Carter rushed up to greet them, hugging them both tightly. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said, his voice shaky. “Kara, I know you were there and you wouldn’t let anything bad happen, and mom texted me right afterward, but still, I was scared–“

“Of course you were, Carter,” Kara said softly. “It’s your mom.”

Carter bit his lip to keep his emotions in check, and then quietly corrected the superhero. “It’s my mom *and* you, Kara. I worry about you too.”

Kara felt tears forming in her eyes, and pulled Carter a little closer. “Oh God, Kara,” Carter muttered, “If you cry, I swear I’ll take it all back.”

Kara forced back the tears that were already starting to fall. “Right, sorry,” she said, smiling weakly. Cat laughed and kissed her cheek, thrilled beyond words at Carter’s comment. Her son had made it clear how much Kara mattered to him, and for the normally shy and reticent boy, this was an astonishing declaration. It meant more to Cat than she could possibly express.

Eventually, Carter ducked out of their shared hug and asked his mom, “Has there been any news on the attackers?”

Cat’s eyes widened. “I haven’t checked my phone in over an hour,” she said, shaking her head in embarrassment. She’d been so focused on Kara that she hadn’t even thought about it. She pulled out her phone and saw a series of text messages from her contact in law enforcement. “They got the attackers,” she said, nodding grimly. “Neither one is talking right now, but police found evidence linking them to the attack.” She squeezed Kara’s arm, reminding the superhero that it was her information that had led to the arrests.

“Good,” Kara said, without much enthusiasm. She was relieved to know that they’d been caught, but it never should have come to this. If she hadn’t screwed up, no one would’ve been hurt, and she could’ve gone after the attackers herself.

“How about a late-night meal?” Carter piped up. He knew that Kara would need to eat, but he could also see the sadness lingering in her eyes, just as it had the night before. Once again, the superhero had encountered an impossible situation, and made the best choice she could. Now, she needed their love and support as she processed what had happened, and Carter was determined to offer what he could. After all, Kara deserved to be happy.

“What are we having?” Cat said, her eyes twinkling with amusement, even as she shot Carter a grateful look.

“Well,” Carter responded, “if I’m cooking, then it’s English muffin pizzas. That’s the only thing I know how to make.”

Kara looked up at Carter then, surprised and touched by his efforts. She grinned and said, “I make a pretty good English muffin pizza too.”

“Of course you do,” Cat commented, shaking her head. “You have the taste buds of a twelve-year-old.”

Kara laughed, and then responded, “You’re just jealous of my metabolism.”

“You’re damn right I am,” Cat grumbled. “Come on, children, let’s go make English muffin pizzas,” she said, motioning them toward the kitchen.

An hour later, Kara and Carter had inhaled a ridiculous number of English muffin pizzas, topped by various combinations of pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, and of course, lots and lots of cheese. Each round of pizzas got progressively taller, covered with more and more toppings, until Kara saw one of her masterpieces collapse onto its side in the oven. After that, they agreed that no pizza’s toppings should exceed three inches in height. Cat just sat and watched, enjoying the sight of her two favorite people having so much fun together.

Carter kept up with Kara at first, but after a while, he was too full to continue. Kara made a few more pizzas for herself, and then announced that she, too, was done for the night. The three then headed to bed, with Carter stopping in front of his room to say goodnight. He hugged his mom first, squeezing a little harder than usual, and didn’t object when she kissed him on the cheek. Then he turned to Kara, and hugged her tightly as well.

“Carter, thanks for making pizzas with me,” Kara said softly while she hugged the boy. “I needed that.”

“It was fun,” he responded, smiling at her. “Good night, Kara.” Then he entered his bedroom and waved before shutting the door.

Kara stopped at the entrance to the guest room. “I’m just going to change,” she said, gesturing toward the drawers that contained her clothing.

Cat nodded. “Don’t take too long,” she responded, smiling. “I’ll be waiting.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the knock sounded on Cat’s door, she rolled her eyes. “Kara, you don’t have to knock. Just–” The rest of that sentence died in her throat as her mouth fell open. The superhero was wearing a short silk nightgown that just barely qualified as decent, and it was the sexiest thing Cat had ever seen.

Kara stood and looked at Cat for a moment, searching her girlfriend’s face uncertainly. She had bought this nightgown on a whim the night before they’d left for France, and was hoping that Cat appreciated it. Seeing the look of hunger in the older woman’s eyes, she smiled with satisfaction, and slowly made her way across the room. When she reached the bed, she crawled across it, and then lowered her head to brush her lips against Cat’s. A moment later, she settled her body on top of the older woman. She cupped Cat’s face with both of her hands and lowered her mouth to feast on those inviting lips. She felt Cat’s arms wrap around her, and then slide across smooth silk to explore Kara’s back and torso. Kara began running her own hands along Cat’s sides, and the two women rolled over so they were side by side. For a few minutes the two women enjoyed the sensations of being touched, on top of their nightgowns at first, and then underneath as they sought the warmth of bare skin.

Eventually, Kara grew impatient, and rather than gently lifting the nightgown off Cat’s body, she simply ripped it apart. “Kara,” scolded a shocked, and very turned on, voice. “That’s a $400 article of clothing.”

“Oops,” Kara said, not sounding very sorry at all. She smiled. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

“Yes, you will,” declared Cat, imagining a multitude ways in which Kara could pay off the debt. “But first, you need to take off that nightgown. I would rip it off, but I want you to wear it again. It’s a *very* good look for you.”

Kara grinned. Floating slightly above the bed, she slowly lifted the nightgown over her head, revealing a pair of matching silk panties and bra. When she sank back onto the bed, Cat’s hands immediately began to explore. Their bras were quickly dispensed with, and greedy hands sank into the soft flesh beneath. Mouths began their descent as well, kissing across jaw lines, necks, and collarbones, and eventually feasting on quickly-hardening nipples. Both women took their time, wanting to explore and taste every inch of the inviting flesh in front of them.

Eventually, Cat sought Kara’s mouth again with her own, and she pulled their bodies close together, scissoring their legs to provide some much-needed friction. She slid a thigh closer, toward Kara’s center, and noted with satisfaction that the young woman’s panties were soaked through. She had no doubt that her own were just as wet. As Kara reached toward the waistband of her panties, however, she grasped the young woman’s wrist, stopping her. “Kara, darling,” she murmured, meeting the woman’s eyes with her own, “Is this something you want? I know I’ve been… Well, maybe I got carried away tonight. It’s hard not to. But I don’t want to push you into anything.”

Kara smiled gently at the woman she loved. “Cat, I want this, more than anything in the world. It’s just… I need to be careful not to hurt you. Will you help me with that?”

Cat nodded, knowing that this was important to Kara, although she had no idea how she would do that, considering she was just one or two well-placed touches away from losing control herself. She was confident, however, they would figure it out together.


	37. Bonding Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much plot here - feel free to skip the first half if you'd rather avoid the bedroom scene. Trying to give these characters the happiness they deserve, but it's really, really hard right now. 
> 
> I hope this chapter came across okay. I did the best I could. Best wishes to all.

Cat stretched and opened her eyes, noticing that the sun was beginning to stream into her bedroom. She hadn’t slept much, and should have been exhausted this morning. Instead, however, she felt invigorated. She felt like singing, or dancing a jig, or doing... well, more of what she’d spent last night doing.

The reason for her incredible mood lay sleeping beside her. Kara’s head rested next to Cat on the pillow, and one arm was strung possessively across the older woman’s waist. Kara had crawled into that position from her previous spot – buried between Cat’s legs – after using her hands and mouth to reduce Cat to a quivering mess. Cat vaguely remembered begging Kara to please do that thing with her tongue again. Kara had obliged, and within seconds Cat’s whole body was shaking as spasms of pleasure rode through her. By the time Kara crawled into bed next to her, Cat had been so exhausted that she immediately fell asleep.

She couldn’t remember sex ever being like this before. Sure, it had been pleasurable, even addicting at times, and offering a much-needed release. But with Kara, it wasn’t release she sought, but a connection that became deeper with every touch. The simple fact that it was Kara, sweet, beautiful, sexy Kara, bringing her to these heights with confident hands and soft, soft lips… Kara, watching as Cat stuffed a hand in her mouth to stifle a scream, and then doing whatever that thing was with her tongue to bring Cat impossibly higher… Kara, burying slick fingers inside of Cat in a rhythmic pattern, filling Cat further and further with each thrust, until she was mewing softly with need and Kara answered with more fingers and quicker movements, which was somehow exactly what it took to push her over the edge…

Last night had been beyond anything Cat had ever experienced. Somehow, Kara seemed to know exactly where and how Cat needed to be touched, as if she knew how every muscle in Cat’s body responded – which, come to think of it, she probably did. As the night went on, Kara’s instincts only improved, and the Kryptonian treated her like a goddess, worshipping every inch of her body.

At first, when Cat had tried to reciprocate, Kara hesitated. Knowing that the Kryptonian was scared of losing control, Cat paused and looked into the hero’s eyes. “Kara, honey,” she murmured, “do you want this?”

For a moment, the hero didn’t answer. Then she whispered, “More than anything. But what if–”

Cat placed a finger over Kara’s lips to silence her. “Then stop worrying, Kara,” she said softly. “I told you we would figure this out together, and I meant it.”

Kara’s eyes searched her own for another moment, and then she nodded slowly.

“I want you to relax, Kara,” Cat murmured. “I’m going to take these –” she pointed at Kara’s underwear – “off, but I won’t touch you yet, okay?” 

Kara nodded and lifted her hips slightly to help the older woman. She could handle that. It was what might happen once Cat began to touch her that she was worried about.

Cat continued, “We’re going to take this slowly. If at any time you get overwhelmed, I need you to tell me, and I’ll stop right away. Otherwise, I just want you to relax. Can you do that?”

“But Cat, what if I hurt you?” Kara asked quietly.

“That’s why we’re going slowly,” Cat answered patiently. “If you’re losing control, I’ll be able to see it, and I’ll give you some space.” She paused. “Do you trust me to do that?” This was important. Kara needed to believe that Cat could take care of herself, or she would never be able to relax.

Kara looked at her. “You promise you’ll be careful?” she asked nervously.

“I promise, Kara,” Cat responded, punctuating her answer by kissing Kara on the cheek.

Kara nodded. “Okay,” she said softly.

Cat smiled warmly at Kara and lay down carefully next to her, facing the Kryptonian. She paused for a moment to enjoy the sight of the gorgeous superhero lying beside her. How could she have gotten so lucky? She pulled the hero close and kissed her, running her hands along Kara’s side, around her hips, giving Kara time to get used to the feeling of Cat’s hands on her naked body. Slowly, she began to mix in a few gentle touches, running her fingers across Kara’s opening and rubbing lightly. Kara’s breath quickened, and Cat softly asked if the hero was okay. Without saying a word, Kara nodded, so Cat continued to explore Kara’s body with her hands.

After some time had passed, Cat increased the pressure of her fingers, causing Kara to moan as they caressed her center, and noted with relief that the involuntary jerk of Kara’s hips did not involve superhuman strength. She carefully slid one finger into Kara’s opening and buried it inside her. Kara’s muscles clenched in response, but again, her strength was not overwhelming. Cat wondered briefly if something in Kryptonian anatomy helped Kara to adjust to sex with a human, but she lost interest in the question as Kara’s hips pushed forward, searching for more pressure. Cat quickly complied with the unspoken request, adding another finger, and then a third, as her thumb massaged Kara’s clit. She noted with relief that Kara’s strength did not appear to be an issue, so she focused all of her efforts on pleasing the Kryptonian. When she felt Kara climax around her, she guided the hero through the crest, and then coaxed her gently down with soothing, gentle touches and passionate kisses.

“Did I…” Kara opened her eyes and looked around nervously. “Did I hurt you?” she asked Cat in a tremulous voice.

“Not in the least,” Cat said, smiling at the hero. “You were amazing, Kara.” She ran a hand down Kara’s cheek, and added, “There was no sign of any superpowers.” She could see relief flooding the Kryptonian’s features, and pulled her in for a tight hug. She couldn’t resist adding a teasing warning. “I’m not done with you yet, though.” She smiled and kissed Kara again, thinking of the things she still wanted to do to the superhero.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Throughout the course of the night, Cat managed to accomplish several of the activities on her list. Now she turned and faced the superhero, running a hand across Kara’s cheek, which was bathed in morning sunlight.

Kara’s eyes flickered open, and her face lit up in a brilliant smile. “Hi,” she whispered, gazing at Cat with tenderness. “Did you – mmmf!” Her question was cut off by Cat’s lips as the older woman lunged forward to kiss her.

They had a long day ahead, but Cat wasn’t quite ready to face the world. She had a superhero in her bed, and she intended to take full advantage.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

A couple of hours later, after a thoroughly enjoyable workout and a long, steamy shower, the two women ate breakfast with Carter, and then they were off to the hospital again. Supergirl had promised Chloe she would return, and she also wanted to check on last night’s victims. Carter insisted on coming this time, despite Cat’s objections that he had no business being in that hospital without a hazmat suit. “I’m sure they clean it regularly,” he responded, rolling his eyes at Kara. “Come on, mom. I’m not getting stuck here by myself again. I promise I won’t say anything; I just want to come.”

At Cat’s reluctant nod, the superhero scooped up Cat and Carter in preparation for their journey to the hospital. Anxiously, Cat asked, “Why don’t we just take the car?” She had been in Kara’s arms many times, and it’s not as if she didn’t trust the superhero, but being held with one arm didn’t feel nearly as secure. Plus, she wanted to make sure that Carter was safe. 

“Oh come on, mom,” Carter chided. “She carries multiple people all the time. Besides, she’s never taken me flying. I’m not going to miss this!” His eyes were bright with excitement.

Cat sighed. The look in Carter’s eyes made it impossible for her to object. She nodded and resigned herself to being terrified.

Kara grinned at Cat’s immediate acquiescence. The supposedly ruthless media mogul was completely unable to refuse Carter anything. Still, she decided to take pity on her girlfriend. “Tell you what, Cat. I’ll take you one at a time, and give Carter the scenic route,” she suggested. Turning to the teenager, she asked, “How would you like to see Paris from the air?”

If he had been excited before, it was nothing compared to the look on his face now. He spun around to look at Cat. “Please, mom, can I?” Kara choked back a laugh at Cat’s exaggerated sigh, knowing that the older woman wouldn’t dare to refuse Carter now, and smiled as the older woman shot her a look that was both grateful and annoyed.

“All right,” Cat said, pretending to think it over for a moment. “But I’m going first. I don’t want Carter left alone at the hospital. I can ask some questions while you’re flying Carter around on your whirlwind tour,” she added, leveling a glare at the grinning superhero.

“Whatever you say, Cat,” responded Kara, still grinning widely. “I’ll be back for you soon, Carter,” she said to the boy, and wrapped her arms around Cat. As they rose up from the ground, she whispered into Cat’s ear, “But I need a few minutes alone with you first.” She met Cat’s lips with her own, and kissed her gently. Cat’s arms automatically wrapped around Kara’s neck, and she responded eagerly.

They flew at a steady rate toward Paris, kissing softly, until Cat realized what was happening and pulled away. She smacked Kara’s shoulder, and said, “Pay attention to where you’re going!”

Kara laughed and responded, “We’re headed in the right direction. Don’t worry, Ms. Grant. I’m a safe flyer.”

Cat frowned, not entirely comfortable with Kara’s cavalier attitude. “No kissing and flying, Supergirl.”

“Fine,” Kara said, and stopped short in midair. “Then we’ll alternate.” She dove toward Cat’s mouth again, kissed her thoroughly, and then smiled and began flying again. A couple of minutes later, she stopped and repeated the process.

“Kara,” murmured Cat, “If you’d done this the first time you carried me, we could’ve saved a lot of time. You’re impossible to resist.”

The superhero laughed in surprise, and responded, “It’s not usually the kind of service I provide.” Touching her forehead to the older woman’s, she added, “I think we both needed time to sort through our feelings.”

Cat nodded, and leaned forward to kiss the Kryptonian again. “I’m just glad we did,” she concluded. Behind Carter and Adam, Kara was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Once again, she wondered how she’d gotten so lucky.

XXXXXXXXXXX

“You ready?” Supergirl asked the teenager, who was trying, and failing, to remain calm as he waited for his ride. Carter nodded eagerly, and Kara smiled as she scooped him into her arms. She slowly rose above the villa, and as she flew higher and higher, Carter scanned the surrounded countryside, eyes wide.

“Wow,” he whispered, captivated by the view.

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Kara said. “Flying is my absolute favorite activity.” She shook her head. “I don’t do it often enough, like this, and just enjoy the experience.” She grinned at the boy. “Thanks for reminding me how wonderful this is. You ready to see Paris?”

He nodded eagerly, and they took off in the direction of the city. Kara flew on her back, allowing Carter to lie on top of her. He stretched his arms out, and she knew that he felt like he was doing the flying. He didn’t say a word, but the look of elation on his face told her everything. They circled the landmarks of Paris that they’d seen earlier in the week, such as the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. When they swung around the Eiffel Tower, Kara saw tourists turning to look at them, so she picked up speed to avoid being caught in any pictures. Carter was strictly off-limits.

When they finally touched down in front of the hospital, she loosened her hold on Carter, but paused as he kept his own arms wrapped around the superhero and gave her a hug. “Thanks,” he said softly, unsure how to express his gratitude.

The superhero hugged him back, and said, “Thank *you*, Carter. That was fun. Let’s do it again soon, okay?”

Carter nodded enthusiastically as he let the hero go. Then he ran over to Cat, who was standing there watching the two interact, a soft smile on her face. “Mom, that was so cool!” he exclaimed, and grabbed her in a hug. The smoldering look that Cat sent in Kara’s direction left the superhero weak in the knees.

A minute later, Cat’s, “Come on, Supergirl,” interrupted her stupor, and she quickly fell into step behind the media mogul. They had work to do.


	38. Hospital Visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this story has been so fluffy and lacking in plot lately - just a lot of little stuff that had to happen before they go home. Hope it's still worth reading.
> 
> Thank you all for your support and kindness. I've been having a very hard time, and your encouragement makes a big difference.

Cat, Kara, and Carter visited Chloe first, wanting to verify that the hotel’s company was taking care of the bill. They spotted the teenager’s mother first, who leapt out of her chair at the sight of them. “Supergirl! Ms. Grant! Thank you so much!” She ran over to give them hugs, which they awkwardly accepted, while gushing about the hotel’s promise to cover the bills and even pay for her lost wages while Chloe recovered. “You two are amazing. I can’t believe it! I’m a physician’s assistant, and I won’t be able to work my regular shifts until Chloe is feeling better, but Mr. Bernard told me not to worry about working, that they would cover my expenses for the next three months.” She shook her head. “It’s unbelievable.”

Supergirl smiled happily at the woman. “I’m not surprised,” she said. “Ms. Grant is a miracle worker.” Turning to Chloe, she asked, “How are you feeling? Any better?”

Chloe nodded. “They did another surgery last night to remove the infected tissue in my arm.” She let out a breath. “They said it’s healing now, and I’m not going to lose my arm.”

At that news, Kara’s face lit up with a smile. “Oh, Chloe, I’m so glad,” she said softly. Behind her, Cat was equally pleased.

Carter, meanwhile, was staring curiously from the doorway. Chloe’s mother spotted him first, and raised an eyebrow. “Who is this handsome young man?” she inquired, smiling at Carter.

“This is my son, Carter,” responded Cat smoothly, placing a hand on his back and guiding him forward. “Carter, this is Ms. Turner, Chloe’s mother.”

Carter extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” he said politely.

“Oh, please, it’s Amanda,” the woman responded, rushing forward. She bypassed Carter’s outstretched hand and pulled him into a crushing hug. “It’s lovely to meet you too, Carter.”

A flushed and thoroughly overwhelmed Carter was saved by Chloe. “Mom, let him go. You’re scaring him,” she admonished. When Carter was finally free of her mother’s grasp, Chloe smiled at him. “Hi. I’m Chloe, and I apologize for my mother. She can be a little overwhelming sometimes.” She extended her good hand, which Carter shook.

“Hi, Chloe,” Carter said shyly. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Where are you from, Carter? Do you live in National City with your mom?” Chloe asked. At Carter’s nod, she smiled. “Me too. We just moved there a couple of months ago. I’m supposed to be in eighth grade, but I’ve been pushed ahead a year, so I’m starting at NC South High School in the fall. I’m so nervous! I’m in accelerated math, so I’ll be taking Calculus as a freshman, and I’m signed up for all honors classes, and it just seems like too much.”

Chloe continued chattering about her schedule, and to Cat’s delight, Carter engaged in the conversation, chiming in occasionally with a question or comment. After watching for a short time, Cat exchanged a look with Kara, and then announced, “Carter, we’re going to visit a few more patients. Will you stay here and keep Chloe company for a while?”

“Oh, please do!” Chloe exclaimed. “It’s so lonely here, and you’re the first person my age that I’ve seen since I arrived.”

“Um, sure,” Carter said shyly. “That’d be good.”

Kara grinned and followed Cat out the door, right behind Chloe’s mother, who said something about getting a coffee from the cafeteria. Once they were in the hallway, Amanda turned to Cat excitedly. “You have no idea how much this means to Chloe. She doesn’t know anyone in National City yet. She had a lovely group of friends before we moved. They used to get together every weekend and play games, mostly Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. It was the cutest thing! But then I got laid off, and I had to find a new job wherever I could. She’s been so lonely ever since we moved.” She shook her head. “This vacation was supposed to cheer her up. Instead, we’ve spent it in the hospital, but at least she got to meet her heroes.” She smiled at the two women, and then focused on Cat. “Carter seems like a lovely boy.”

Cat smiled. “He’s usually quite shy with new people. He must really like her.” Turning to the hero, eyes sparkling, she asked, “Are you ready to face Julia again?”

Kara laughed. “Not even close, but let’s go.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The executive was looking much better today, and her face lit up at the sight of the two women. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here,” Julia declared. “I’m bored out of my mind, but they haven’t released me yet. Something about needing a doctor to sign some paperwork.”

The superhero stepped forward and grinned. “You’ll be out of here soon. Are you going straight home from here?”

“I’m not actually sure,” Julia admitted. “I’m supposed to be home already, but obviously I’ve been delayed,” she said, rolling her eyes and gesturing around her. “There’s a meeting in National City that I’m scheduled to attend later this week, so if I go home, I’ll only be there for a day. I’ll probably just fly directly to National City.” She raised an eyebrow at Kara. “If only I had an assistant who could handle the details for me.”

Cat laughed. “I’m sure you have someone in your employ who can figure it out. But if you want, you can come home with us. We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“Wow, a ride in Cat Grant’s private plane? Sign me up,” she declared, smiling. “Is that really okay with you?”

“As long as you don’t flirt too much with my girlfriend,” Cat said and winked. In a lower voice, she added, “Although actually, she’s really cute when she’s flustered. She doesn’t know how to respond to flirting at all. It’s adorable.”

Julia grinned. “I’ve noticed.”

“I’m standing right here!” said Kara indignantly, flushing a deep shade of pink. Both women glanced at her, then looked at each other and laughed. Kara sighed and shook her head. It was going to be a long ride.

XXXXXXXXXX

Next, Cat and Kara visited the two men that Supergirl had transported to the ER last night. The first man, Robert, whom Supergirl had found bleeding profusely from the gash on his arm, was recovering nicely. He had received stitches and several pints of blood, and was due to be released later today. Robert thanked Supergirl profusely for her help. “The doctors told me that if you hadn’t brought me when you did, I might not have made it. I’d lost too much blood.”

The hero smiled with relief. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” she said softly.

“All thanks to you, Supergirl,” Robert responded.

The second man, Jorge, was not doing nearly as well. He had a major concussion, and those symptoms would likely linger for weeks. In addition, he had broken two of his ribs, and was struggling to draw in breath, feeling stabs of pain every time he inhaled. But worst of all was his leg. It was covered in burns from the ankle to the knee, and they’d operated on it twice already to remove dead skin and tissue. He would be staying in the hospital in Paris for the next two days, and then they would airlift him to one near his home in Barcelona.

Despite his injuries, Jorge was grateful to Supergirl for her help. “Thanks for getting me here so quickly. They were able to treat the burns right away, and the doctors said that made a big difference."

Supergirl smiled and told him that she was glad to have helped. “I hope you feel better soon,” she said lamely, knowing that he wouldn’t actually recover very quickly.

“Supergirl, while you’re here,” Jorge said, slightly embarrassed, “will you sign something for my daughters? They’ll be devastated that they missed meeting you.”

“Of course,” Kara said, wishing she could do more to help. “What are their names?”

Jorge listed the names of his three daughters as Kara secured a piece of scrap paper. In her note, she apologized for not meeting them in person, told them how brave their father was, and expressed her hope that he would be feeling better soon. She ended the note by directing them to get in touch with her through CatCo once their father was feeling a little bit better, and she would arrange a time to visit and meet the whole family. It was the least she could do, after her actions last night.

The hero maintained her cheerful expression until they reached the safety of the hallway. Then she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, fighting desperately to stop the tears from falling. Jorge was badly injured, and she had caused that, by making the wrong decision. To her dismay, she felt a couple of tears trickling down her cheeks, and she buried her head in her hands as she tried to regain control.

Cat’s voice interrupted her thoughts. Speaking so quietly that no one else could possibly hear them, the older woman said, “Kara, honey, you did everything you could. Everyone survived because of what you did. You didn’t cause those injuries; Max Lord did. Our job now is to prove it.” She added, “I badly want to put my arms around you, but we can’t have people speculating about our relationship, not after my assistant declared her love for me last night.”

At that, Kara smiled slightly and wiped her eyes, and then straightened up and looked at Cat. “Thank you. You always know just what I need to hear,” the hero said softly.

“Time to go, Supergirl,” Cat said, smiling. “Let’s go drag Carter away from his new friend. We have work to do.”


	39. Homeward Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they're heading home. I've been writing a lot lately, to take my mind off of reality, so here's another chapter. 
> 
> Apparently I've misrepresented the French health care system with Chloe's lack of insurance coverage - my sincere apologies. (This is why I'm a fanfiction writer, rather than a real one...) Our heroes are leaving France now, so I'll be spared from writing further about a country I've never actually visited.
> 
> As always, your comments, encouragement, reactions, and criticisms are welcome. I appreciate every one. (I might possibly be one of those people who checks this site obsessively in the day or two following a new chapter post, looking for feedback of any sort...) :) Thank you all for reading!

A brief text message from Alex greeted Kara as she entered the villa. “Nice picture,” it said, followed by a link to the National City Post. Reluctantly, Kara clicked on the link, which took her to an article entitled, “True Love?” and a photo of Kara glaring at the reporter as they approached the limo. She sighed and started to close the tab, but paused for a moment when she saw Cat’s face in the background. The older woman was in perfect focus, and the look on her face made it clear that while Kara had spoken the words out loud, Cat obviously felt the same way. She was gazing at Kara with adoration. Kara stared at the picture for a couple of seconds, and then shook her head and closed the tab.

Just then, another text message arrived. “Talk about whipped. She would do anything for you.” As Kara tried to figure out what she could say in response, a third message arrived. “Mom is already planning the wedding.” Kara couldn’t help giggling at that.

Cat looked up from her own phone, which was filled with messages from people that she didn’t really want to talk to. “What’s so funny?”

Kara shook her head. “Alex is teasing me about a picture from last night.”

“Ah,” Cat responded, having just seen the picture herself. Her image as a ruthless CEO had taken a major hit, but she couldn’t bring herself to care very much. Kara loved her, and that was what really mattered.

As Cat sorted through her own messages, she chose to ignore the voice mail from her mother. She didn’t need to hear that one; she knew exactly what it would say, unfortunately. That conversation would be extremely unpleasant, but it could wait for another day. A text from Lois Lane, however, raised her eyebrow. Lois wanted her to call ASAP. Cat wondered what had been important enough to cause the old hag to reach out to her. “Kara, I have to make a phone call,” she said vaguely. At Kara’s nod, she walked into the study to call her former colleague.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Kitty, we need to talk,” Lois said without preamble.

“I gathered that,” Cat said. “This obviously isn’t a social call.”

“No, it isn’t,” Lois responded. After a short hesitation, she said, “It’s about Kara. I’m… Well, Clark and I are worried.”

“What?” Cat was completely confused. Why did Clark care about any of this? Lois, perhaps, might think that Cat was sullying the profession or some equally ridiculous but well-meaning stance. But Clark?

“We don’t want to see Kara hurt. Cat, she’s very inexperienced, and she tends to see the best in everyone. Clark has always tried to look out for her.”

“I… Clark and Kara are… Lois, I don’t...” Lois knew Kara? The thoughts whirling around in her mind suddenly clicked into place. “Clark is Superman,” she murmured. “Of course he is.”

Lois cringed. She’d just assumed, given how close the two women seemed to be, that Cat already knew. After all, Kara was completely incapable of keeping secrets. She sighed, annoyed with herself for letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak. But none of that changed the matter at hand. “Cat, we’ve had our differences, but I respect the hell out of you. You’re not the kind of person who has an affair with her secretary. So if you and Kara are together, it must be something that you feel very strongly about.” She paused for a moment. “I just don’t want to see Kara get hurt.”

Cat sighed. She wanted to be angry with Lois for interfering in her private life, but she just couldn’t do it. Lois obviously cared about Kara, just as everyone did, and was looking out for her. “Lois,” she said quietly, “if I ever hurt her, then I deserve whatever happens to me. I love her.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, and then she could hear Lois smiling when the reporter responded, “Well, well, well. Kara Danvers melted the ice queen. It would take a superhero; that’s for sure.” Lois laughed. “Congratulations, Kitty, you passed. I’m so happy for you. Am I invited to the wedding?”

Cat smiled. “We’re not exactly there yet, but I’m sure Kara would insist on inviting you. And as irritating as you are, you’re one of my oldest friends.” 

“Likewise, Kitty. Keep me updated.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They spent the afternoon fitting together pieces of the puzzle. If they were going to expose Max Lord, they needed to find ways to connect him to the terrorist activities. Winn had managed to hack into his system, and was in the process of searching the server for incriminating evidence. Kara cautioned him to please be careful, and he promised he would cover his tracks.

Meanwhile, in National City, Supergirl made several appearances. Hank and Alex had decided that with all of the press coverage on Cat and Kara, it wouldn’t do to have Supergirl returning to National City at the same time as the two women, so Hank played the role of the blond superhero in a few cameo appearances. Kara, Cat, and Carter ate at a well-known restaurant in Paris during one of Supergirl’s appearances, just in case anyone was watching.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The following morning, Carter insisted on visiting Chloe before they left. “She’ll be here for another few days, and she could use the company,” he argued. Cat carefully hid a smile, and Kara grinned behind Carter’s back, but they agreed to visit Chloe again. (This time, they’d be taking the limo, however. As far as the public knew, Supergirl was already back in National City.)

This time, they arrived at Chloe’s room armed with Settlers of Catan, which Carter had insisted on bringing. Chloe was thrilled to see them again, and when she saw her favorite board game, her eyes lit up with excitement. “I haven’t played this game since we moved!” she exclaimed, and then glanced guiltily at her mother. She’d been trying not to complain about moving, but it just slipped out.

Carter grinned. “Well, now that we know you’re in National City, you’re going to have to start playing again.” Chloe smiled happily, and her mother looked even more excited by the prospect. “Watch out, though,” he warned. “My mom is really good at this game.”

While Kara introduced herself to Chloe and Amanda, Cat and Carter dragged a table toward Chloe’s hospital bed and quickly set up the pieces. They played a four-person game, since Chloe’s mother preferred to watch. It was a rather unusual sight, and more than a few hospital staff members poked their head in to see the CEO of CatCo huddled over a board game. Cat ignored them, intent on winning the game.

Once again, Kara came in a distant fourth. To Carter’s delight, however, Chloe managed to outmaneuver Cat, and emerged victorious.

Sulking slightly, Cat announced that they’d need to schedule a rematch. Kara grinned and reminded the older woman that she didn’t *always* have to win, but Cat simply glared at her. Carter told Chloe to text him when she was back in National City, and they’d plan a game night. When the three of them left, Chloe was smiling and chattering happily to her mom about the strategy she’d employed.

Kara was thrilled to see her doing so much better, and she glanced over at Cat to see the woman smiling broadly. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps Cat let Chloe win, but of course the older woman would never admit to it. Kara shook her head and smiled. There was so much the public didn’t know about Cat.

XXXXXXXXXXX

They boarded the plane later that afternoon, along with Julia, whom they’d picked up on the way. Upon entering the car, the CEO glanced at Kara, eyebrow raised. “How is it,” she asked, “that you manage to be in two places at once?”

Kara flushed. “Um, I, um, don’t know what you mean?”

Julia laughed. “Never mind, Kara; you’re embarrassing yourself. How on earth do you keep your secret from anyone? You’re terrible at it.”

“You really are, Kara,” Carter chimed in, grinning. He turned toward the CEO and added, “To be honest, though, I think it works in her favor. The way she stammers through her answers, she couldn’t possibly be a superhero, right?”

Julia nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true.” Eyeing the teenager, she said, “You must be Carter. I’m Julia, and it’s a pleasure meeting you. Your mother has been an inspiration to me.” She shook Carter’s hand, and then focused on Kara again. “So, have you reconsidered my job offer yet? I’m willing to triple your current salary.”

Cat leveled a stern gaze at the CEO. “Don’t give her any ideas. Now she’ll want a raise.” She left out the fact that she was already planning to give Kara a substantial raise along with her promotion, since she hadn’t discussed salary with Kara yet.

“Yes, well,” Julia responded, “if you insist on keeping her for yourself, you’ll at least have to pay her closer to what she’s worth.”

“She doesn’t need to pay me anything,” Kara responded. I’m not going anywhere.” After a moment, she added shyly, “Do you really think I’m worth that much?”

Carter snorted. “Kara, you’re like the worst negotiator on the planet.”

Kara shrugged. “My salary’s all right. How much money do I need, really?”

“With your eating habits?” Cat responded, smiling. “Probably a lot more than I’m paying you.” She squeezed Kara’s hand. “We’ll talk about it.”

Julia shook her head. “Damn it, I wish I’d found you a few years earlier,” she said wistfully. “Maybe I could’ve kept you from Cat.” She returned her attention to Carter. “How old are you now? I imagine you’ve inherited some of your mother’s business acumen. Want to work for me?”

“Julia,” Cat said in a quiet, deadly voice, “you should probably stop talking now. We could easily dispose of your dead body over the Atlantic Ocean.”

Julia laughed and held up her hands in mock surrender. “Call me in a few years, Carter.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The flight was calm and uneventful, and the reporter in Cat found that she enjoyed talking with Julia. The woman was a wealth of information regarding energy sources and environmental politics, and the media mogul realized that Julia could be a valuable resource in some of CatCo’s more scientific ventures. When Julia began to talk about some of the specific technology her company was working on, however, Kara couldn’t resist offering a few suggestions. Before long, Julia was taking notes and grilling the Kryptonian with questions about techniques for harnessing nuclear power more efficiently. Kara also told Julia about other sources of power that had been used on Krypton, and offered to help the CEO begin to research these methods.

As they conversed about nuclear energy and power sources, Carter stared in fascination. “Mom, can Kara be my science teacher from now on?” he asked, eyes hopeful. “I think I’d learn a lot more. All we do in school is go over stuff I already know.”

By this point, Cat had seen Kara’s brilliance on display a number of times, but she was still awed by the superhero’s ability to master concepts that stumped Earth’s greatest scientists. Still staring at Kara, she frowned in response to Carter’s question. “We’ll see, Carter. She’s already pretty busy.”

Just then, Julia looked up from her notebook and met Cat’s eyes. The CEO looked shell-shocked, as if she’d witnessed a miracle and was still trying to comprehend what had happened. Julia shook her head and addressed the media mogul. “Cat,” she murmured, “she’s extraordinary. Do you have any idea how much she’s helped me?”

“Yes, that seems to be a common theme with her,” Cat answered quietly, eyeing Kara while the hero blushed. “And I’m sure she hasn’t asked for anything in return.”

“Cat,” Kara protested, “it wouldn’t be fair for me to profit from my alien background.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Cat said, waving a hand dismissively. “However, it’s beside the point.” She looked at Julia. “I’m concerned about… *other* people finding ways to utilize her knowledge. There are people who would stop at nothing to obtain the kinds of information she hands out like candy. We need to make sure we don’t expose her.”

Julia was already nodding. “You’re right, of course. Kara, you need to be more careful about revealing your talents.” She paused. “On the other hand, as much as I’d love to keep it to myself, your knowledge could benefit the entire planet. What about using CatCo Earth to spread some of that knowledge? You could sponsor research and publish the findings, proving things that Kara already knows to be true.”

Cat nodded thoughtfully. “That might work.” She looked up at the CEO. “Will you help us with that? Perhaps you could brainstorm the kinds of scientific questions that people need answered and help us find ways to publish Kara’s knowledge.”

“I’d be happy to help,” said Julia, smiling. “It’s the least I can do.”


	40. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they're back home. That trip to Paris took like two months in real time. :) Lots of things to address in the next few chapters, so this one ended up kind of long. I just couldn't find a good cutoff point.
> 
> Hope everyone's having a good start to the month. Thank you thank you thank you for your continued support, and for reading this interminably long story, and for every view, kudos, and comment. It makes the hours I spend writing so worth it.
> 
> Oh, and minor trigger warning for the things Cat's new assistant is about to reveal - it touches on prostitution and blackmail, without any real details. Please be safe!

When they arrived in National City, it was only 7 p.m., due to the nine hour time difference. The three women had used the remainder of the trip to develop plans for CatCo Earth, and Kara was thrilled at the idea of being able to share some of her knowledge. “I had forgotten how much I loved science in school,” she said ruefully. “I was always pretty good at it, and it’s fun to talk about this stuff again.”

“Pretty good at it?” muttered Carter. “Talk about an understatement.”

Julia laughed. “Kara, is there anything in the world that you’re not ‘pretty good’ at?”

Cat and Carter responded at the same time. “Keeping secrets.”

XXXXXXXXXXXX

As they exited the airplane, three cars were waiting for them. One was Cat’s limousine, another was a car waiting for Julia, and the third was a non-descript Chevy Suburban. Alex stood leaning against the door of the SUV, but when she spotted Kara, she immediately straightened up, smiling at the hero.

Kara ran forward to hug her sister, forgetting that she had three suitcases in her arms. As she sprinted across the tarmac carrying the heavy suitcases, Carter couldn’t help laughing. “She’s hopeless,” he said, shaking his head. Julia grinned. Meanwhile, Alex whispered “suitcases” in enough time for Kara to drop them before grabbing her sister in a hug.

As the two women embraced each other, Julia whistled and murmured, “Wow. Cat, you have some serious competition. Who is that woman? She looks dangerous.”

Carter snorted with laughter while Cat grinned and responded, “Kara’s sister. She is extremely dangerous, and I hear she’s available.”

Julia stopped short. “Her sister? Is she, um,…”

“Foster sister,” Cat clarified, smiling. “She’s human. But she could probably kill you in a hundred different ways, and she would, if you hurt Kara.”

Julia looked even more intrigued by that declaration. “I see,” she responded thoughtfully. “And she’s single?”

“Most definitely,” Cat responded, smiling.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

“Kara, I’m so glad you’re home,” said Alex as they settled onto Kara’s couch.

Kara smiled. “Me too,” she said. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“So tell me about this trip,” Alex said. “How was the conference? I heard all about your speech – which was fantastic, by the way – but how was everything else? How are things with Cat?”

Kara sighed and flopped backward onto the couch, closing her eyes and smiling. “It’s so wonderful, Alex.”

Alex grinned. “So the sex is good?”

“Alex!” Kara blushed a deep shade of pink. “It’s not just sex.”

“Oh, so there *is* sex?” Alex said, and laughed at the mortified look on Kara’s face. “Relax, Kara. I’m just teasing you.” She grabbed Kara’s hand. “But seriously, how did things go, with your powers and everything? I know you were worried about that.”

Kara smiled. “They weren’t an issue at all. Cat said there was no super-strength or anything.”

Alex nodded, relieved that Kara’s body had adjusted to sex with a human. That made things significantly easier for the Kryptonian. “And how are things otherwise? How’s it going with Carter?”

“Alex, Carter is amazing,” Kara said sincerely. “That night after the bombs went off in the ballroom, I was really upset, but he was so sweet. He made English muffin pizzas with me to cheer me up. Then the next day I took him flying, and he hugged me.” She sighed. “He’s already so important to me, Alex. I don’t want to lose him.”

Alex nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t think you will, Kara. You and Cat have something really special.” She grinned. “I saw the picture of her staring at you, like you were the center of her universe. That’s not someone who’s going to change their mind.”

“I hope not,” Kara said in a quiet voice. “She helps me so much, Alex. It’s like she brings out the best parts of me, and she takes care of me before I even know what I need. We finish each other’s thoughts, and we work so well together. I think I bring out the best in her too.”

“You definitely do,” Alex said, smiling. “Kara, I’m so happy for you.” She paused. “So… What are you doing here with me?”

“I missed you, Alex!” Kara responded.

“I missed you too, Kara, but now I’m leaving, so you can either stay here by yourself or go spend the night with the woman you love.”

Kara smiled. “Good night, Alex,” she said, wrapping up her sister in another hug.

“Good night, Kara. I’m so glad you’re home. Now get out of here,” Alex said, smiling.

Kara nodded and waved as Alex let herself out of the apartment. Then she texted Cat. “I miss you already. Can I come over?”

“Please do,” was Cat’s response. 

Kara got ready for bed, grabbed a change of clothes for the morning, and took off out the window.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Cat and Kara returned to CatCo for the first time in over a week. When they were dropped off, Kara turned toward Noonan’s to pick up their coffees, but Cat placed a hand on Kara’s arm to stop her. “That’s not your job anymore, Kara,” she said quietly. “We’re hiring someone else to do those kinds of things. Remember?”

Ignoring Kara’s hesitation, Cat laced their fingers together and pulled the younger woman toward her private elevator. At the young woman’s questioning look, Cat explained, “You’re not some dirty little secret, Kara. I love you, and I want everyone to know. If they have a problem with that, they can discuss it with me.”

Kara smiled gratefully at Cat. She wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but it was clear that Cat had chosen to be direct. Once the elevator doors had closed, she kissed Cat on the cheek and whispered, “Thank you.”

Cat shook her head. “Don’t thank me yet. This isn’t going to be easy for you, Kara.”

The superhero shrugged. As long as Cat was on her side, she could handle anything.

When the elevator doors opened, Kara gasped in surprise. While they’d been gone, workers had obviously been busy with renovations. Next to Cat’s glass office, near where Kara’s desk had been, now stood a second, smaller office. “What…” Kara stood and stared at the new office, with its sleek glass walls, beautiful wood desk, and four chairs arranged around a table. “Where’s my desk?” she finally blurted helplessly.

Cat gestured toward the new office. “Right there, Kara,” she said, smiling slightly. “I told you I was promoting you. You need your own space now, but I also need you to stay close. This was my solution.”

Eyes wide, Kara turned to her boss. “That’s for me?”

“If it doesn’t suit your purposes, I’m sure we can make some changes,” Cat said, smirking slightly at the look of shock on Kara’s face.

“No!” Kara exclaimed. “That’s not what I mean! I’m just…” She shook her head, and whispered, “Wow.”

“Yes, well,” Cat said dismissively, “go get settled. I need you to work with my new assistant and get her started, and then you’ll need to meet with Julia at nine to start ironing out details for CatCo Earth. After that, you can proofread the latest layouts and check over July’s financial summaries. You know,” she added, smirking, “the kinds of tasks you’ve been doing all along, thinking I didn’t notice.”

Kara smiled brilliantly then, and before Cat could escape, she grabbed the older woman in a hug. “Thank you, Cat, for believing in me,” she murmured, and kissed Cat’s cheek with super-speed so that no one would notice.

Cat vaguely considered the fact that this might be too much of a public display of affection, but found that she didn’t actually care all that much. If it changed people’s perception of her, well, then, she could use that to her advantage.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The opinions of CatCo employees about her promotion were mixed. By mid-morning, Kara was quite well aware of that, having heard people’s reactions from throughout the building. About half of CatCo believed that she had slept her way up the ladder, while the other half felt she’d been underpaid and underappreciated for far too long.

At precisely 11:00, there was a knock on her door, and she smiled at Marisela and beckoned her in. This young woman had been transferred from the accounting department, where she’d been working as an administrative assistant. She would now be Cat’s assistant, with Kara helping as much as necessary to ensure a seamless transition. After spending the first hour together, they had agreed to meet again at 11 a.m. and go over any questions the young woman had so far.

“How’s your first day going?” Kara said by way of greeting, gazing sympathetically at the young woman. Cat had probably made her life very difficult, but the fact that she’d made it through the first few hours was a good sign.

“Actually, pretty well,” Marisela said, smiling. "Ms. Grant is tough, but she’s gone easy on me so far.” She laughed. “She told me she’s finally starting to appreciate how much she asks of her assistants, so she’s trying to be nicer.” At Kara’s astonished gaze, the young woman added, “I guess I should thank you for that.”

Kara smiled and glanced at Cat, who met her eyes briefly and smiled before returning to her paperwork. “I’m glad to hear it,” she said.

“Honestly, I’m excited,” Marisela continued. “I didn’t expect my transfer request to be approved so quickly, but I guess it was just good timing. I’m so happy to be out of accounting.”

Kara looked at her in surprise. “You didn’t like working there?” She’d heard nothing but rave reviews of the young woman, so she was surprised to hear that Marisela hadn’t enjoyed her time there.

The woman shrugged, not quite meeting her eyes. “It was fine. I just had some difficulty with one of the accountants.”

There was something there, Kara knew, and she could see that the woman was reluctant to say anything more. Kara stood up and walked over to close the door, thinking about the people she knew in accounting. One of the women there had been extremely difficult to work with, and had a reputation for bossing people around. Perhaps this reputation was earned. “Fiona Williams?” she asked quietly.

Marisela hesitated, and then nodded slightly. “It’s not a big deal. I just didn’t like working with her.”

Kara frowned. Marisela didn’t seem like the complaining type, so there had to be more to it than just rudeness. She was tempted to let it go, but something about the young woman’s mannerisms made her think this might be important. She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, inviting Marisela to join her. The secretary complied, and then took out her notebook and flipped it open to a list of questions.

As the young woman searched in her bag for a pencil, Kara placed a hand on her arm. “I’d like to finish our conversation first,” she said. Marisela mumbled something about having a lot of work to do, but at Kara’s steady gaze, she eventually shrugged.

“Marisela, if she crossed a line, you need to tell someone, and the sooner the better,” said Kara softly. “What happened with Fiona?”

The young woman stared down at the table, clearly hesitant to talk. “It was just...” she said softly, and then sighed and closed her eyes. “She knows some things about my past – things I don’t want anyone here to know – and she kept bringing them up, and threatening to tell everyone about it. She told me CatCo doesn’t hire people like me, and implied that I’d be fired.”

Kara gazed at the young woman silently, knowing she wasn’t getting the whole story. She hated to invade the girl’s privacy, but she needed to know how far Fiona had taken this. “Did she ask you to do anything for her?”

Marisela nodded reluctantly, but didn’t elaborate.

Kara touched Marisela’s arm lightly and murmured, “What did she make you do?”

Marisela looked up at Kara then, and the hero could see that she was struggling to maintain her composure. Kara felt awful for pushing her to talk, particularly on her first day, but she could see that this was something that needed to be addressed. She waited patiently, and eventually, Marisela answered in a quiet voice. “At first, it was just little things. Finish a report, file her paperwork, that kind of stuff.” She blew out a breath. “She made comments about how I was… a, um… no better than my mom.”

Marisela paused and glanced at Kara. She saw nothing but kindness and concern in the former assistant’s eyes, and decided it was time to come clean, no matter what it cost her. She was tired of hiding, and she knew her secrets would come out soon enough, once Fiona learned she’d been transferred. “My mom was a prostitute, okay? We were about to get kicked out of our apartment, so she needed money and didn’t know what else to do. After that, she just kept doing it, figuring it was easy money, and I just tried to pretend I didn’t know. But then something happened with one of the guys she brought home. He saw me, and he wanted… well, my mother tried to stop him, but she couldn’t. He smacked her around, and then he…” Marisela swallowed harshly. “He left a couple hours later, and I called the police right away, but… she didn’t make it.”

Kara stared at Marisela, horrified. This young woman had been through so much, and for Fiona to use that as a weapon was beyond despicable. “Marisela,” she said softly, “I’m so sorry.”

The young woman gave no indication that she even heard Kara. She took a shuddering breath and kept talking, hoping to finish the story without falling apart. “Somehow, Fiona managed to learn all of the details of what happened, including what he did to me. Maybe she has a cop friend or something.” She clenched her fists. “She’s been threatening to tell everyone that my mom was a hooker, and that I was doing it with her on the night she died. Making jokes about how I probably don’t know who my father is; stupid stuff like that. Things just kept getting worse until two days ago, when she said it was time for me to use my talents. She locked me in the supply closet with her and wouldn’t let me out until I – until she was finished. I didn’t know what to do, so I just...” She closed her eyes. “I need this job,” she said softly. “Afterward… I put in a transfer request and went home sick. I stayed home yesterday.”

Kara gazed at the young woman for a moment, wondering what she could possibly say. It was bad enough that Marisela had experienced that awful tragedy, but for Fiona to use that against her was… well, it was unthinkable. She felt a twinge of guilt for not knowing it was happening. If she’d been listening in on more conversations, maybe she could’ve intervened earlier. It wasn’t rational, of course, but this was CatCo, and people should be safe here. Still, she was aware of it now, and would do everything in her power to help.

Kara reached out and touched Marisela’s hand lightly with her fingers. At the gesture, the young woman looked up at her, and tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m sorry she did that to you,” Kara said quietly, “and I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through, Marisela. I wish I could go back in time and stop all of it from happening, but I promise you this: She will never hurt you again.” She grasped Marisela’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Then she added, “I’m glad you’re here now. You’re going to be amazing at this job, and we’re lucky to have you.”

At those words, Marisela looked up, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “You want the daughter of a hooker working as Cat Grant’s assistant?”

Kara shook her head. “I want the woman with impeccable credentials, who is excellent at her job, to be Ms. Grant’s assistant. What your mother did has nothing to do with your qualifications, and in any case, she died trying to protect you. I have faith in you,” she concluded quietly. “The way Fiona treated you was awful, and it should never have gotten to that point. We’re going to find some way to make it up to you, but the first thing we need to do is get Fiona out of this building.” She squeezed the young woman’s hand. “Why don’t you take a few minutes to compose yourself, and I’ll talk with Ms. Grant about what happened. Fiona won’t last the day.”

To Kara’s surprise, Marisela shook her head and responded, “No. I’ll tell her. I can fight my own battles. I should’ve done this when it first started.”

Kara was impressed and proud of the young woman. “Ms. Grant is really going to like you.” She squeezed the woman’s hand again. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

Marisela nodded and smiled weakly. “Thanks,” she said softly, and hesitated for a moment. “I mean it, Kara. Thank you for everything.” As the hero smiled at her, Marisela stood up and walked toward Cat’s office. When she knocked, the older woman looked up in surprise, and then glanced at Kara, as if to ask what was going on. Kara nodded slightly, and Cat beckoned the young woman into her office.

As much as Kara wanted to hear their conversation, she forced herself not to listen, but she couldn’t help glancing at Cat periodically. She could see the older woman growing more and more upset as the young woman told her story.

When Marisela finally stopped talking, there was a moment of silence. Cat was pacing back and forth in front of the desk, her mouth set in a thin line. Feeling unsettled and awkward, Marisela stood up to leave the room, but she froze when Cat said quietly, “Sit down.”

A moment later, Cat continued, “I’m sorry. I needed a moment to compose myself before I spoke. I’m ashamed that anyone in my employ would act this way. I’m so sorry for what happened to you.” She sighed and shook her head. “It’s appalling, and ultimately it’s my responsibility. Marisela, I am so sorry,” she concluded sadly. Cat looked up at Kara then, who was watching them from her office, and gestured for the hero to join them.

“Yes, Ms. Grant?” Kara said, standing in the doorway.

“Close the door,” said Cat quietly.

Kara nodded and shut the door behind her.

“I’ll need you to contact security and have Fiona Williams escorted out of the building,” Cat said, still pacing. “File her termination paperwork immediately. I also need the two of you to interview every employee, past or present, who has worked with her, and find out how many times she’s exhibited this kind of behavior.” Cat didn’t bother to specify the behavior, knowing that Kara was already aware of it.

Kara nodded quickly, having already prepared the documents and generated a list of employees. She submitted the paperwork and highlighted the list on her tablet. “Anything else?”

“Have Natalie in legal collect written statements from Marisela and anyone else who comes forward. We’ll bring it to the police as soon as we’ve compiled the evidence. I also need you to find out if any of them need counseling or other assistance. Please tell them that if they do, CatCo will take care of it.” She paused. “Oh, and Kara?”

“Yes, Ms. Grant?”

“Take Marisela to Noonan’s and get her whatever she wants. I want Ms. Williams out of the building before she returns. And while you’re out, don’t forget to pick up our lunches. We’ll eat on the balcony at one.”

“Of course, Ms. Grant,” Kara said. She hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words to convey how she felt, and then stepped forward and wrapped Cat in a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No, thank you,” Cat murmured. “Now get out of here, before everyone starts thinking I’m soft.”

Kara smiled and beckoned for Marisela to follow her out the door.


	41. Getting to Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late-night posting cause I'm up anyway, and because it's ready to go. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write in the next week, but I'll do my best to continue. I hope you like it.
> 
> Thanks for your continued support. I honestly can't believe how many people are reading and commenting and offering kudos and stuff. It's overwhelming, and it means so much to me. Thank you.

“So I’m still Ms. Grant’s assistant?” Marisela said, her voice shaky.

“Of course,” Kara responded. “Why wouldn’t you be? You’re here because you’re the best person for this job, and what Fiona did was in no way your fault. If there’s one thing Ms. Grant appreciates, it’s courage, and what you did today showed a lot of that. She likes you.”

Marisela smiled weakly and stirred her coffee. “I hope so,” she said quietly. They shared a comfortable silence for a few minutes, each woman lost in her thoughts. Eventually Marisela looked at Kara and asked, “How did you do it?”

“Do…what, exactly?” Kara responded, biting into a forkful of cinnamon bun.

“You’re a legend, Kara. Not only did you excel as Ms. Grant’s assistant; you also took on all kinds of extra tasks, like proofreading the layouts and checking the quarterly financials. How did you manage? I’m barely keeping up with her demands.”

Kara laughed. “It’ll get easier with time. There’s a reason she picked you, Marisela. You’ve been excellent at your job, and you’ll be great at this one too. Besides,” she said, pointing a fork in the young woman’s direction, “I’ll be right there if you need anything.”

Marisela nodded. “I’m really glad you’re here. You’ve been a huge help already.” She hesitated, and then added, “Thank you for not judging me by my past.”

Kara stared at her, astonished that the woman would even consider that. “Why would I? If anything, I’m even more proud of you for what you’ve accomplished. Your work speaks for itself, Marisela.”

The young woman smiled gratefully at Kara, and they sat in silence for a minute. Then she asked quietly, “Are the rumors true? Are you two in a relationship?”

Kara nodded and bit her lip, wondering how Marisela would respond to that. She’d heard a number of different reactions so far today, and wasn’t sure exactly where the young woman stood.

She needn’t have worried, however. Marisela’s face lit up into a smile. “Kara, I’m so happy for you.” She continued thoughtfully, “I think you’ve been really good for her. When I accepted this job, people told me all kinds of horror stories about Ms. Grant. I was wondering what I’d gotten myself into. But honestly, she’s been nothing like I’d heard. Sure, she’s a tough boss, but underneath that you can tell that she cares, and maybe that’s something people wouldn’t have said about her in the past. It’s not that she didn’t care before, but now she’s more willing to reveal that side of herself, and I think that’s because of you.”

Kara smiled shyly, feeling a surge of affection for the young woman. That was the nicest thing anyone had said about the two of them all day, and it warmed her heart. Swallowing another forkful of pastry, Kara said, "She really does care about people, Marisela; you included. She’s helped me so much. She challenges me to do more than I think I can, and she’s usually right. Honestly, I would do anything for her.”

“I know, Kara. I’ve seen the way you look at her,” Marisela said, smiling.

Eating the last bite of her cinnamon roll, Kara blushed slightly, and then sighed as she remembered the comments she’d been hearing all morning. “I wish people wouldn’t criticize her for being with me. It’s not what they think.” Kara frowned. “And then she promoted me, which made things worse for her. She shouldn’t have done that.”

“Try not to listen to what they're saying, Kara. They’ll figure it out once they see the two of you together. And all of CatCo knows you were way overdue for a promotion.” Marisela smiled. “I’m just glad you’re around to help me learn the ropes.”

“You’re going to be fantastic,” Kara responded with sincerity. After glancing at her phone, she said, “Let’s go – security says Fiona is gone.” The two women stood up, and Kara picked up their lunches on the way out.

The two women spent the next couple of hours talking with people who had worked with Fiona Williams. Kara interviewed current CatCo employees in her office, while Marisela contacted others by phone. Natalie worked in a nearby conference room, obtaining written statements when appropriate. Unsurprisingly, they unearthed a pattern of bad behavior by the accountant.

When Kara shared the results with Cat over lunch, the older woman vowed to make sure that Fiona never worked in National City again. Having finished both lunches that she’d ordered for herself, Kara stood up and scooped Cat out of her chair. “Why don’t we think about something else for a while?” she asked softly, settling Cat into her lap on the love seat. She kissed Cat softly on the lips, wrapping her arms gently around the older woman. Cat sighed in contentment and eagerly responded to the kiss, and the two women spent a few blissful minutes reacquainting themselves with each other. After spending the morning hearing other people commenting on their relationship, Kara had needed some time alone with Cat, and it seemed that the older woman felt the same way. Eventually, Cat sighed and pulled herself away. “As much as I’d love to spend the rest of the day like this, Kara, we both have work to do.”

Kara smiled and pulled the two of them to their feet, feeling much more settled. She planted a quick kiss on Cat’s cheek, murmured, “I love you,” and headed back to her office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At precisely six p.m., Marisela knocked on Cat’s door and asked if the CEO would be needing anything else tonight. Upon Kara’s suggestion, she had already refilled the M&M jar and left two Advil, along with a glass of water, on Cat’s desk.

“That’ll be all,” Cat said, smiling briefly at the young assistant. “Make sure Kara gives you our coffee orders for the morning. Good night.”

“Good night, Ms. Grant,” Marisela responded, and turned toward Kara’s office.

When she reached the doorway, Kara was already beckoning her inside. “How was the rest of your day?” the hero inquired.

“Pretty good, actually,” Marisela said, smiling slightly. “I really like working here. Even though it’s challenging, I feel like I’m a part of something important.”

Kara nodded. She understood that feeling completely; it’s why she had taken the job. “I’m glad,” she responded, smiling at the young woman. “Here’s our coffee order for the morning,” she said, handing over a piece of paper on which she’d written the two lattes, “but they already know it at Noonan’s. Just say you’re picking up for me, and add whatever drink you want to the list.”

Marisela nodded and took the paper, tucking it away in her purse. “Good night, Kara,” she said, “and thanks for everything.”

“My pleasure,” Kara responded. Before she could talk herself out of it, Kara jumped up and hugged the young woman. “Are you all right?” she asked quietly, knowing that it had been an emotionally trying day for the assistant, to say the least. “Is there anything you need?”

Marisela nodded. “I’ll be all right. Honestly, it was a relief to finally talk about it, and to know that I don’t have to worry about dealing with Fiona anymore. And Ms. Grant was really nice. She set me up an appointment with her therapist tomorrow afternoon.”

Of course Cat would do that, Kara thought. She smiled and hugged the assistant again. “I’m glad. Have a good night.”

“You too, Kara.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

“Alex, I have the creature all tied up here. Want me to bring him to the DEO?”

“Nah, Supergirl, it’s okay. A team is on their way,” the agent responded. 

Sure enough, Kara spotted a black SUV heading toward her location. When the agents arrived a moment later, she waved and then took off into the sky. “What’re you up to tonight, Alex? Want to get some pizza?”

“Actually, I have plans,” Alex responded.

“You and Vasquez watching a movie or something?” Kara knew that Alex had been spending time with Susan Vasquez, another DEO agent. There was nothing going on romantically – they were just friends – but they liked a lot of the same things, and enjoyed spending time together.

“No, nothing like that,” Alex said vaguely. “Just dinner.”

“Oh, sounds good,” Kara responded, wondering why Alex’s voice sounded kind of strange. Dinner with Susan was nothing unusual. “Have fun,” she said, and headed home for the night.

As she entered her apartment, her phone pinged with an incoming text from Cat. “You left so abruptly I didn’t have a chance to ask. Are you coming over for dinner tonight?”

She quickly typed a response. “Do you want me to?” She wasn’t really sure what the rules were anymore with Cat. While they’d been in France, they’d been living together and doing everything as a couple. Now that she was home, though, she had her own place, and wasn’t sure whether it was okay to invite herself over. When she’d shown up last night, Cat had seemed thrilled to see her, and the sex had been amazing… but was that something she could do every night? She didn’t really know how this worked.

“Always,” was Cat’s response, making Kara smile.

“I’ll be right there,” she texted, and then hesitated. Should she bring things to stay overnight? Was that overly presumptuous?

Just then, her phone pinged again. “Don’t forget clothes for the morning.”

Kara grinned and packed a bag, using a burst of super-speed. Then she took off for Cat’s balcony.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alex parked her motorcycle in the hotel basement and took the elevator up to the twelfth floor, wearing jeans and a dark leather jacket. What was she doing here?

When Julia had called asking Alex to join her for dinner, the agent was baffled. She knew who Julia was, of course – the woman was rather famous, even before getting injured in the Paris hotel fire – but she had never met Julia outside of a quick introduction and a short chat last night. She knew that Julia had gotten her number from Cat, but she was mystified as to why the CEO had wanted it in the first place.

Julia had told her to dress casually, so she had, but now she was wondering whether this was some sort of business dinner. Should she look more professional?

Alex knocked on the door to Room 1232, and had just pulled her hand back to knock a second time when the door clicked open in front of her. The CEO stood there in jeans and a fitted blouse, with long brown hair tumbling loosely down her back. Alex couldn’t help noticing how attractive the woman was, even with minimal makeup. She saw Julia examine her own outfit, and the woman’s mouth curled into an appreciative smile. What exactly was going on here?

“Right on time, Alex. I like you already,” Julia said, stepping out into the hallway and into the agent’s personal space. She placed a quick kiss on Alex’s cheek and stepped by her toward the elevator. Alex felt her heart stutter at the contact, but she recovered quickly and followed Julia down the hall. The CEO turned around briefly to take Alex’s hand as they walked toward the elevator, and the agent found she had no objection to the contact. She still had no idea what was happening, but she was more than willing to go along for the ride.

When they reached the ground floor, Julia led them toward the hotel’s restaurant, still holding Alex’s hand. “I apologize for taking you somewhere so banal, Alex, but I don’t know much about National City, and this restaurant has excellent food.” She smiled at the agent. “Maybe next time you can suggest something that you would enjoy more?”

Next time? Was this something that Julia intended to repeat? Not wanting to get her hopes up, Alex smiled politely and assured Julia that she was sure this was an excellent choice.

Julia laughed and leaned toward Alex to whisper in her ear. “Honestly, Alex, I’d be happy just getting a burger, but you deserve something much more romantic than that.”

So this *was* a date, after all? Alex was beginning to feel a little light-headed. Why was this beautiful woman taking her out to dinner? “Julia,” she said reluctantly, “are we…” She hesitated. “Is this a date?”

Julia laughed at the look of confusion on Alex’s face. “I’m sorry, Alex; I guess I should’ve made myself clear. Yes,” she said, “I would like this to be a date. I asked you to dinner because I think you’re beautiful and fascinating, and I’m interested in getting to know you better.” She grinned. “I spent a long time interrogating Cat about you over the phone last night, and the more she said, the more my interest grew. But I realize you don’t know anything about me, so I’ll try to give you some time to catch up. Sometimes I can be a little too forward when I know what I want. Please, have dinner with me, and give me a chance to introduce myself.”

A smile spread across Alex’s face. Not only was this a date; Julia was being direct and honest – something she really appreciated – and apparently found her fascinating. “That sounds perfect,” she said softly.

Julia gave her name at the desk, and a waiter immediately led them toward a secluded table in the back. “Here you are, Ms. Stevens,” he announced. “May I bring you a bottle of wine to start?”

She turned to Alex. “Do you drink wine?”

Alex nodded, and Julia turned back to the waiter and named one of Alex’s favorite vintages. The waiter immediately scurried away to comply. As they waited for him to return, Julia began chatting about her trip to France and her encounters with Cat and Kara. When she revealed to Alex that she’d known instantly who Supergirl was, Alex shook her head, mortified by Kara’s ineptitude, but she could tell that Julia wasn’t someone who was going to give away Kara’s secrets. They fell into easy conversation, and Alex found that she wanted to learn more about the CEO, who was intelligent and charming. In return, Julia asked Alex questions about herself, although she avoided asking for details about Alex’s work, knowing that the agent probably couldn’t reveal much. She was enthralled by Alex’s medical and scientific background, realizing that the agent was intelligent and thoughtful, in addition to being a highly-trained agent.

When the two women had finished their meals, Julia invited Alex back to her hotel room to continue their conversation. “I’m not quite ready for this date to end,” she admitted.

Alex wasn’t either, so she agreed to continue the conversation upstairs. This time, as they walked down the hall toward the elevator, it was Alex who reached for Julia’s hand, and Alex who leaned in to kiss Julia’s cheek as they stood in the elevator. 

The two women entered Julia’s hotel room, hand in hand. They sat down next to each other on the couch, and Alex lifted Julia’s hand toward her lips. She kissed the palm gently, and murmured, “Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

“It’s not over yet,” Julia said, smiling slightly, and then she reached her hands toward Alex’s face and pulled it toward her own. Their lips touched gently, and then their arms wrapped around each other and they kissed again. Their lips explored each other, tongues roaming as they settled into the kiss.

The two women sat there exchanging kisses and touches, neither one in any hurry for the night to end. Eventually, however, Alex acknowledged that she had to work early the next morning, and should probably go.

Julia nodded reluctantly, not wanting to rush what seemed like a promising beginning. “Can I see you again tomorrow night?” she asked, hoping she wasn’t being too forward. “I’ll only be in town for a few days, and I’d like to spend time with you.”

“I’d like that,” Alex said, smiling. “I’ll take you out to my favorite restaurant. Pick you up here at seven?”

“Sounds perfect,” Julia said in response.


	42. Katherine Grant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long between chapters. I spent a week away on vacation, and then it's taken me a few days to get back into the story. I'll try to get back to my regular posting schedule now that I'm home, although to be honest, I'm hoping that at some point I can actually figure out a way to end this monstrosity. :)
> 
> I hope you all are well, and I want to tell everyone again how much I appreciate you taking the time to read this fic. The response has been better than I could've hoped for, and it means so much to me! Thank you for the kudos and especially the comments. I love to know what people think of the plot, good or bad, and I really appreciate all of you.

The next morning, when Cat and Kara entered the bullpen, Marisela was already waiting with their lattes. Cat accepted her cup and immediately began issuing instructions to her new assistant. Kara was happy to see that the young woman was keeping up with Cat’s long list of demands, and that she had already sorted Cat’s messages and emails and flagged the most important ones. She was definitely the right person for this job.

Yesterday, the focus had been on catching up, and of course taking care of the Fiona situation. Today, however, they would revisit the terrorist attacks in Paris. Alex and Winn would join them to discuss the status of the investigation, and together they would determine the next steps. That meeting was scheduled for 11 a.m., so both women would have a few hours before that to deal with any pressing issues.

Things were running smoothly until Marisela suddenly rushed over to the doorway of Cat’s office. “Ms. Grant?” she said nervously, “your mother will be here in fifteen minutes.”

Cat stared at her for a moment, an expression of horror on the older woman’s face, before recovering and managing a look of bored disdain. “I imagine she wants me to know that I’m ruining the family name,” Cat said drily. “This should be fun.”

“She, um, she didn’t state the purpose of her visit,” offered Marisela helplessly.

Cat nodded and beckoned the young woman forward, glancing toward Kara’s office briefly. She saw the hero chatting on the phone with someone, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She picked up a post-it note and wrote on it, “Keep Kara away during my mother’s visit.” She handed the note to Marisela, gazing at her intently to emphasize the importance of this task, and then dismissed the young woman with a flick of her fingers.

Marisela nodded and quickly left the office. A few minutes later, she knocked on Kara’s door, holding a stack of manila folders. “Kara, I could use your assistance, if you have a few minutes.”

Kara nodded, eager to help the young woman. “Of course. What do you need?”

“I’m a little confused by the filing system downstairs. Could you come help me figure it out?”

“I’d be happy to,” Kara said, although she was surprised that something so straightforward had challenged the young woman. “We can do it right now, if you’d like.”

“That would be great, Kara. Thank you.” Marisela followed Kara out the door. She paused to glance meaningfully at Cat, and the CEO acknowledged her efforts with a grateful nod.

Shortly after the two women had left, the elevator dinged, signaling the arrival of Katherine Grant. Cat sighed deeply and began typing random words on her computer, trying to look busy so her mother would get the hint.

“Kitty, darling, you really need to upgrade the staff in this building,” Katherine announced as she stepped out of the elevator. Walking toward Cat’s office, she continued, “They don’t even know my name! Imagine, the man at the front desk asking *me* for identification. Wherever do you find these people?” She sighed. “Oh, well, I suppose I can’t expect first-class treatment at a place like this.” She glanced around disdainfully.

Cat took a moment to compose herself, and then removed her glasses and looked up at the woman now standing in her doorway. “Hello, mother,” she said, her voice sounding unaffected, almost bored. Getting upset in front of Katherine was never a good strategy, so she maintained a stoic expression.

“Why haven’t you returned any of my calls, Kitty? I’ve left you message after message. It’s borderline absurd.”

“I’m sorry, mother, but I haven’t even had a chance to listen to your messages. I’ve just been so busy here,” Cat said, waving her hand in the air to emphasize her point. If Katherine were to conclude that her phone calls were just not very important to Cat, well, her assumption would be correct.

“Oh, please,” Katherine spat. “Running your fashion magazine and your little network of talk shows? As if there’s anything here that can’t wait a day or two. Do you know that I’ve had to cancel two book signings to come here in person today?”

“Well, that seems like a waste of your time *and* mine,” Cat responded, unable to contain her displeasure.

“Yes, well,” Katherine said in dismissal, “where is that useless assistant of yours? Karen, was it? I could use a coffee – black, of course – and not some dregs from a coffee pot. Have her run across the street and get me a real cup of coffee.”

“She’s not my assistant anymore,” Cat said coldly. “She’s my Chief Information Analyst, and her name is Kara. My new assistant is downstairs at the moment, so you’ll have to get your own coffee.”

Katherine gazed at her, eyebrow raised. “So you’ve already let her sleep her way to a promotion, Kitty? How pathetic.” She shook her head and took a seat on one of the couches. Leveling a disapproving gaze at her daughter, she continued, ”If you want to screw your secretary, that’s your business. Frankly, that’s the kind of behavior I’ve come to expect from you. You’ve probably slept with half the city, after all.” Katherine rolled her eyes in disgust. “But when your slutty habits make it into the papers, you give the whole family a bad name.”

Pointing a finger at Cat, she added, “Do you know how I found out about your little scandal? My *hairdresser* informed me. Can you even imagine my embarrassment? And then that stupid little girl declares her love for you. Doesn’t she know how little this means to you?” She shook her head again. “I will not tolerate this kind of public exposure, Kitty. It’s disgusting, and it needs to stop.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“I just don’t understand why these files aren’t in alphabetical order, Kara,” Marisela said, trying desperately to make the system seem more complicated than it was.

“They are, Marisela, but they’re grouped by department first. See, these are applications for the sports department, so their folders are all in this file cabinet. Within it, they’re stored in alphabetical order. But Brandon James applied for IT, so he’ll be in the cabinet behind me.”

“Oh,” said the young woman helplessly. “So where do I put these folders, then?”

“Well, you have to look here” – Kara pointed to a spot on the folder – “for the department code, and then find the right file cabinet for each one.”

“Okay, so this one would be in the financials cabinet, which is where?”

“Right here, Marisela,” Kara said, shaking her head. She didn’t know why Cat’s new assistant was having so much trouble with this task.

“I think I get it,” concluded the young woman. “Will you just stay here while I file this stack of folders, and make sure I’m doing it right?”

“Of course–” Kara broke off in mid-sentence, and suddenly spun around, whipped off her glasses, and stared at the ceiling. “Damn it, Cat put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“I don’t know what –” Marisela started to say, and then grabbed Kara’s arm as the woman moved toward the door. “Kara, no.”

“I’m sorry, Marisela,” Kara said, shaking her head, and then left the room so quickly that Marisela thought she must be seeing things.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cat stared at her mother, her eyes shining with hurt and anger. She tried vainly to compose herself before speaking. Her mother was right, of course; her long list of romantic companions had given her a rather unsavory reputation, and the latest news wasn’t helping. She knew her mother disapproved of her love life, though the woman had never stated it quite so bluntly. However, Katherine needed to understand that her relationship with Kara was not open to negotiation.

She had just opened her mouth to respond when Kara suddenly appeared in the doorway. In a quiet voice, Kara began to speak to Katherine Grant. “I don’t care what you think of me. If you want to call me a stupid little girl, or worse, go right ahead.” Kara walked slowly forward, oozing anger and confidence. “But how *dare* you speak to Ms. Grant that way? She is the most principled and courageous person I know, and the farthest thing from pathetic that I could ever possibly imagine. She’s built a global, multi-billion-dollar company from the ground up, and she brings hope and inspiration to people all over the planet. You write books that no one reads, and yet you somehow think you have the right to judge her?”

At that, Katherine sputtered angrily, but Kara simply glared at her and folded her arms in front of her chest before continuing. “Do you know how many people look up to Ms. Grant? Do you realize how much she’s accomplished? Do you have any idea how amazing she is?”

Just then, Marisela ran into sight, trying to catch her breath after sprinting up three flights of stairs. As she approached Cat’s office, she ground to a halt, realizing she was too late. She stood in the doorway staring at Kara, wondering how the woman had made it here so quickly.

Kara took a breath, and then advised Katherine, “If you value your relationship with your daughter, and you want to keep her in your life, then you’re going to have to learn who she is. She’s not a failed attempt at being you; she’s the most impressive woman I’ve ever met.” Kara took a step forward, and added quietly, “You need to understand that your daughter is a person, rather than an extension of yourself. If you can’t do that, then she’s better off without you.”

Kara walked over to stand next to Cat, no longer speaking, and glared at Katherine. Her eyes flashed red for a moment, but the heat was gone so quickly that only Cat and Marisela noticed it. Meanwhile, Katherine stood there, stunned, unable to form a response, and Cat simply stared at Kara with an inscrutable expression.

An awkward silence followed, with Katherine trying in vain to come up with a response. Eventually, she turned to Cat, scowling. “Are you going to allow your… secretary” – she spat out the word, as if censoring herself – “to speak to me like that?”

Cat glared at her mother. “Ms. Danvers has every right to speak her mind, and I don’t disagree with a single word she’s said.”

Katherine glared at both women for a moment, and then responded quietly, “I see.” She spun around quickly, marched onto the elevator, and left.

Cat stood silently for a moment, and Kara began to panic, sure she’d overstepped her bounds. “Cat, I’m so sorry,” she said quietly, wringing her hands. “I just lost my temper. I couldn’t stand hearing her talk to you like that. I shouldn’t have –”

Cat silenced her by holding up a finger, and then stepped forward and hugged her fiercely. The two women stood there, arms wrapped around each other, for several minutes.

People all over the bullpen had been watching the scene in Cat’s office. One by one, they turned away and got back to work, with more than a few smiling at the scene they had witnessed. Kara’s passionate defense of Cat laid to rest any doubts about her motivations, and employees who thought Kara had slept her way to a promotion were forced to reconsider their perspective. Kara certainly seemed like a woman in love, and Cat… well, Cat was actually hugging someone in public. That alone was a shocking development.

Marisela stood in the doorway staring at the two women. Kara’s stance a moment ago, and those flashing eyes, had suddenly clarified everything. It all made sense now – the ‘super’-productivity, Kara’s quick escape today, Supergirl’s presence in Paris and her friendship with Cat Grant, as well as so many other little things that had escaped her notice. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it earlier – it wasn’t even a good disguise. She shook her head and walked back to her desk, smiling to herself. If she was going to take over the job of a superhero, she’d better get to work.


End file.
